Penticton has highest living wage in Thompson-Okanagan

A national lobby group has calculated the hourly wage required to afford basic expenses in various communities across British Columbia, and Penticton tops the list in the Thompson-Okanagan region.

Penticton has the highest living wage in the region at $18.55 per hour, slightly ahead of Kelowna at $18.49, according to Living Wage Canada. Kamloops has the lowest wage at $16.71 per hour. The list did not include a wage for Vernon.

Rent, childcare, food and transportation are factored into what Living Wage Canada considers basic expenses, and the equation also considers tax credits, deductions and subsidies.

READ MORE: Vernon ski area first to guarantee a living wage

Metro Vancouver has the highest hourly living wage in the province at $20.52. Nanaimo has the lowest at $16.33.

Other communities in B.C. on the list include the Columbia Valley at $17.18, Grand Forks at $17.21, Revelstoke’s is $19.51, Nelson at $19.56 and $20.46 in Victoria.

Living Wage Canada has a website that facilitates the sharing of information among communities in Canada in an effort to build a national living wage movement.


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Dan Walton

Before joining the ranks of InfoTel, Dan’s byline could be found in newspapers in Penticton, Peachland and Oliver. Prior to his arrival in the South Okanagan, he first sharpened his chops as a reporter at a radio station in Brighton, Ontario, and then newspapers in Tisdale, Saskatchewan, and Invermere B.C.
From quilting competitions to crimes against humanity, Dan isn’t afraid to cover any topic. Always seeking out the best angles - whether it’s through the lens of his camera or the voices of his Interviews – he delves into the conflict and seeks out the humanity in every story worth telling.
Dan is always happy to hear from readers. To get in touch for any reason he can be contacted at (250) 488-3065 or dwalton@infonews.ca.

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