With rising costs, the 2023 living wage in Kamloops increased by nearly $2 an hour compared to last year.

Living Wage BC Provincial Manager Anastasia French says in Canada’s Tournament Capital, two parents working full-time need to make at least $20.91 an hour to support a family of four while maintaining a modest lifestyle.

“The living wage lets workers meet their basic needs and have the time and money for an active and fulfilling family and personal life.”

French says people who are not earning a living wage have tough decisions to make daily.

“Do they pay for gas or do they pay for groceries? Do they take on additional hours at their job or take on a new job which is time they are not spending with their families or friends, or do they cut back on essentials or go into debt?”

French says the gap between the minimum wage and living wages in BC has grown significantly over the past two years.

Pointing to Kamloops, French says those making $16.75 an hour come short of the living wage by over $4 an hour, which equates to $7,500 annually.

“Interesting we find with the living wage is we take into account the costs that low wage workers have, the real essentials, and those costs are going up at a far higher rate than the rate of inflation and minimum wage, so the government needs to look at what they can do about that.”

French says rising rent and grocery prices are mostly to blame.

“Across BC and Canada, food bank use has increased, rent bank use has increased and what foodbanks and rent banks are finding is that the majority of people that are using them are working, and working hard but since food and rent are so expensive right now, they have to turn to charity to help them.”

Of the 19 communities in BC included in the report, Kamloops had the third lowest living wage in 2023, with Dawson Creek and Fraser Valley hourly living wages only slightly cheaper at $20.64 and $20.66 respectively.

In Kelowna, the living wage is $24.60 an hour while in Metro Vancouver it is $25.68.

The top three most expensive BC communities to live in on the list include Clayoquot Sound where you need to make $26.51 an hour for a living wage, Haida Gwaii at $26.25 an hour, and Golden at $25.78.