Red Deer’s ‘living wage’ outpacing province’s minimum wage: Report
An update on Red Deer’s living wage shows the province’s minimum wage falls below attaining a ‘decent standard of living’ in our city.
According to the City of Red Deer’s 2018 Living Wage Update, a family of four with two parents each requires a wage of $17.74 / hour to meet the family’s basic needs — higher than Alberta’s current minimum wage of $15 / hour.
City of Red Deer Social Planning Manager Tricia Hercina says the report is an educational tool to create awareness around poverty prevention and assist the community in understanding what it actually costs to have a decent lifestyle in Red Deer.
“There were three different scenarios they looked at,” explains Hercina. “They did a family of four with both parents, they did a lone parent with one child and they did a single adult. The impacts that contribute to that number are things like our rental markets and affordable housing options and the cost of food and childcare.”