Living Wage in Columbia Valley now $23.35
The Columbia Valley continues to be a place where people want to live, work, and raise their families. A rising cost of living—especially for housing and food—has caused the Columbia Valley’s living wage to accelerate.
This year’s Living Wage Report shows that the local living wage is $23.35 per hour, 72 cents more—or 3.10% higher—than the 2024 rate of $22.63 per hour.
BC’s minimum wage is $17.85 per hour. There is now a $5.50 gap between BC’s minimum wage and the living wage for the Columbia Valley.
The living wage is the hourly rate that a full-time worker must earn to cover essential expenses, avoid chronic financial stress and participate in their community. The rate supports a basic, decent standard of living, but without many of the comforts or extras that many take for granted.
Shelter remains the largest expense in the living wage household budget. Although rent prices have started to come down, rents are still rising faster than inflation and vacancy rates remaining low, this year’s report shows.
Food is the second-largest expense in the living wage budget, increasing 3.6 per cent from last year and it’s been one of the fastest-growing costs for BC households in recent years. Food insecurity is not just a social issue, it is a public health emergency with lasting impacts on physical and mental well-being and food banks have become a lifeline for thousands of households, the report shows.
“Ongoing investments in childcare affordability, the full rollout of the Canadian Dental Care Plan in May and the recent increase to the BC Rental Assistance Program for families with children ease some pressures on household budgets but the gains have been offset by persistent cost increases, particularly for housing,” says Anastasia French, Managing Director of Living Wage BC.
To better reflect the experiences of different household types, the 2025 Columbia Valley living wage calculation is based on the weighted average of the rates for three household types: a two-parent family with two children, a single parent with one child and a single adult living alone. It is calculated by Community Partner, BC Policy Solutions and Living Wage BC.
Over 450 certified employers across the province, including 7 in the Columbia Valley, have stepped up to pay both direct and contract employees a living wage. Employers who pay their workers a living wage have found real benefits from doing so, including improved retention and morale, says French.
“At Kootenay Savings Credit Union, we genuinely believe that every worker deserves a wage that enables them to fulfill their essential needs,” Says Mark McLoughlin, CEO of KSCU. “Offering a living wage helps attract and retain top talent, boosts morale and productivity, and demonstrates our commitment to employees and the communities we serve.”
When employers look at the living wage, they don’t only consider hourly pay—they can also count certain benefits that help reduce the cost of living. These benefits must be available to all staff, allow personal choice, and have a clear dollar value. Examples that can be added to wages include cash allowances, health care plans, education or training funds, extra paid vacation days, transit passes, and personal spending accounts. Because these benefits cover real expenses that workers would normally pay for themselves, they reduce the amount of money someone needs to earn per hour. This helps employers support their staff while also managing their own business costs. However, things like housing, childcare, food, or work uniforms cannot be used to lower the living wage because workers must have freedom to choose these essentials themselves.
To learn more about the Living Wage, visit www.livingwagebc.ca
