By the numbers: A living wage in Toronto in 2015

It’s getting harder for Torontonians to make ends meet, according to a study released on Friday by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

The report, titled On Making Ends Meet, was written by CCPA-Ontario economist Kaylie Tiessen, and examined what constitutes a living wage in the city of Toronto in 2015.

A living wage is defined as how much it costs to rent an apartment, own a vehicle, pay for a transit, utilities, groceries, clothing, child care and a family vacation.

Here is a breakdown of some of the most important findings from the study:

• $18.52 — the hourly wage needed to provide a living wage; the basic necessities for a family of four.
• $16.60 — the hourly living wage calculated by the CCPA in Toronto in 2008.
• 37.5 — the amount of hours needed to be worked by each parent, per week.
• $72,242 — the combined amount needed by two working parents, per year, to provide the basic necessities for a family of four.
• $11.00 — the current hourly minimum wage in Toronto.
• 25¢ — how much minimum wage will rise in October.
• $21.00 — the median hourly wage for workers in Toronto.
• 1.5 million — the amount of people making less than $21 an hour in Toronto, many of whom struggle to survive without a living wage.
• 70,000 — the amount of working poor (people who work but cannot pull themselves out of poverty) in the City of Toronto.
• 113,000 — the amount of working poor in the overall region.

 

Here is the full report from the CCPA:

On Making Ends Meet: A Living Wage in Toronto in 2015