There's been an increase in the estimated 'living wage' for Huron and Perth County families.
United Way Perth-Huron and the Social Research Planning Council announced their newly calculated Living Wage is $17.44 per hour. That's up from the calculation of $16.47 in 2015.
Taking into account the monthly costs of a family of four with both adults working full-time for 35 hours a week, the Living Wage reflects the point at which a household in Huron and Perth can afford to meet its basic needs including food, housing, utilities, childcare and transportation.
The Living Wage is voluntary for employers, and is adjusted regularly to reflect increases in the cost of living. The new calculation applies across all communities that are part of the Ontario Living Wage Network.
"We feel this is an important discussion to have in our communities," says SRPC director Susanna Reid. "Numbers show us that about half of households in Perth and Huron are not earning a Living Wage. We want to let people know what a Living Wage is, the benefits it brings to families, how employers can become certified and how communities can engage and take action."
"As an organization we support the Living Wage,” adds Marty Rops, Regional Manager at Libro Credit Union. "We recognize different businesses will make their own decisions about the best way to contribute to the health of their communities and Libro encourages that conversation always."
United Way Perth-Huron supports 48 organizations and services across Perth and Huron Counties that address #unignorable issues in our communities.