The 2023 Living Wage Calculation for Niagara is $20.35/hr, a 2.8% increase from $19,80/hr in 2022. The calculation is updated annually for areas throughout the province, by the Ontario Living Wage Network (OLWN). The OLWN’s core goal is the elimination of working poverty.
There are 10 living wage calculations across Ontario. Niagara is grouped with the Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk regions in this calculation. Living wage variations across the province are due to the cost of living in different regions.
A living wage takes into consideration basic factors, like the cost of housing, food and transportation, as well as child-related costs, recreation, and technology. The living wage varies across the province because the wage is calculated by considering the local costs of where a worker lives.
As of November, 2023, there are 91 Living Wage Employers across the Niagara region. The OLWN reports a total of 628 in Ontario. Employers look to the living wage rate as a calculation that considers the real burdens that workers face, much better than the minimum wage. Results of a survey of Certified Living Wage Employers and their employees in Niagara show that the program has positively impacted workplace culture and staff relationships.
The 2023 Living Wage Niagara Calculation announcement for Niagara notes that:
– Affordability is becoming an increasingly urgent issue in our community
– The rising cost of living impacts those at the bottom of the wage spectrum the most.
– Currently the living wage program is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty for working people in Niagara
Published By: Living Wage Niagara
Publication Date: November 6, 2023
Click here to access 2023 Ontario Living Wage Calculation
