According to the World Health Organization, poverty is the single largest determinant of health. Poverty is a lack of resources and income necessary for a standard of living that supports economic security, physical stability, and social inclusion. Canada Without Poverty reports 1 in 7 (or 4.9 million) people in Canada live in poverty, negatively impacting their health and life expectancy. Poverty influences access to adequate housing, nutritious food, and healthy early childhood development.
Taking action to prevent and reduce poverty is an initiative of the Government of Alberta to address income as a priority determinant of health. On October 1, 2018, the minimum wage in Alberta was increased to $15/hour, a step in the right direction to help reduce poverty and improve quality of life. The Government of Alberta reports raising minimum wage improves health outcomes and lowers wage inequality, especially for women. A minimum wage is the legal minimum all employers must pay and varies across Canada. I currently work in Edmonton, Alberta; here the living wage is calculated to be $16.31/hour (Living Wage Canada, 2017). A living wage is the calculated amount at which a household can meet its basic needs in a specific community. It can help reduce severe financial stress, promote social inclusion, and support healthy child development.
This video "Living Wage 2015" created by the First Call BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition summarizes what a living wage is and how it impacts communities and families. Child poverty in British Columbia (B.C.) is highlighted as a major issue for working parents struggling to meet basic expenses including rent, child care, food, and transportation.
B.C. has gathered input from organizations and individuals on building a poverty reduction strategy and released the report “What We Heard About Poverty in B.C.” on July 12, 2018. A poverty reduction strategy is to follow in early 2019. The minimum wage in B.C. is to increase to $15.20/hour by June 1, 2020, however most argue this change is occurring too slowly.
Figure 1 above shares the calculated living wages of various communities across Canada. What does the living wage look like in your city in Canada? It it attainable, or does it reflect a barrier to health? The minimum wages of the provinces and territories of Canada, as of January 1, 2019, are shown below in Figure 2. Click the picture below for more information on each provinces minimum wage legislation. With changes to provincial governments, these numbers may often change, hopefully with an increase to better support the health of the Canadian population.
The Governments of Alberta and British Columbia are prioritizing income as a determinant of health and are developing and initiating policy changes to support affordability issues. Addressing the living wage is one way to assist low-income families towards better opportunities to support their health. Additional programs, benefits, and policies to support financial security and address poverty in Canada are key to the future health of our communities.
References:
Canada Without Poverty. (n.d.). Just the Facts. Retrieved February 18, 2019, from http://www.cwp-csp.ca/poverty/just-the-facts/#demo
First Call BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition. (2015, July 07). Living Wage 2015. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=20&v=arCWeQfA5Mg
Government of Alberta. (n.d.). Changes to Alberta's minimum wage. Retrieved February 18, 2019, from https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-minimum-wage-changes.aspx#p3984s4
Government of British Columbia. (n.d.). B.C. Poverty Reduction. Retrieved February 18, 2019, from https://engage.gov.bc.ca/bcpovertyreduction/
Living Wage Canada. (n.d.). Retrieved February 18, 2019, from http://livingwagecanada.ca/
Retail Council of Canada. (n.d.). Minimum Wage by Province. Retrieved February 18, 2019, from https://www.retailcouncil.org/resources/quick-facts/minimum-wage-by-province/
WHO. (n.d.). Poverty and social determinants. Retrieved February 18, 2019, from http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/environment-and-health/urban-health/activities/poverty-and-social-determinants
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