For the fourth time in a row, the hourly wage needed to cover living expenses on Salt Spring Island is trending higher, according to a comparative tool released by Living Wage BC and the Salt Spring Island Foundation (SSIF).
An increase in childcare costs drove much of the 2025 Living Wage’s 8.4 per cent rise to $28.45, according to the report, which by themselves have risen 5.2 per cent. SSIF executive director Shannon Cowan said the calculation is a standardized approach, vetted by Living Wage BC and endorsed by BC Policy Solutions and Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
“This report aims to enable comparisons of costs facing islanders within our community,” said Cowan, “and also to compare cost of living across Canada using an ‘apples to apples’ method.”
The wage figure this year is built around a set of assumptions for three different family types: a family of four, a single parent family and a single person. The final figure is a weighted average of a living wage for those, according to the foundation, with new adjustments accounting for a higher number of ferry trips and moderate increases in food, shelter and childcare.
The driving force behind the report, according to SSIF board chair Water Stewart, is the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of poverty alleviation around the world.
“It’s an important tool to inspire community reflection on the many ways islanders’ cost of living needs can be met,” said Stewart.
The 2024 report from the foundation indicated a living wage of $26.25 per hour; in 2022, the figure was $24.36 and in 2018 it was $20.95.
The full report can be read on the foundation’s website.