Advocacy
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Living Wage
What it takes to make ends meet in Perth and Huron Counties (2021)
The concept of a Living Wage is bigger than income. It’s about quality of life. It’s about ensuring our neighbours can afford to pay their rent and buy nutritious food. It’s about ensuring our workers are healthy and able to pay for transportation to get to work every day. It’s about ensuring our children are given sufficient social and educational opportunities so they can flourish.
The calculation is based on the living expenses of a family of four in Perth Huron with both adults working full-time for 35 hours a week each, once government transfers and deductions have been taken into account. 2019’s Living Wage for Perth-Huron has been calculated at $17.55/hr.
h4>What it takes to make ends meet in Perth and Huron Counties (2018)
A Living Wage is the hourly wage a worker needs to earn to cover their family’s basic everyday expenses such as food, housing, utilities, childcare and transportation. It is voluntary, calculated based on local costs and adjusted regularly to take into account cost of living increases and changes to government transfers and deductions.
Earning a Living Wage encourages families to participate more fully in their communities, supports healthy child development and helps ensure families are not facing ongoing, severe financial distress. Not only workers benefit from earning a Living Wage. Employers find morale, productivity and loyalty all increase when workers are paid a Living Wage. Communities also benefit as employees who earn more are able to put more back in to the local economy, child poverty rates decrease and residents become more engaged.
What it takes to make ends meet in Perth and Huron Counties (2015)
Download the Living Wage Report (2015) (PDF) | Download the Living Wage Report summary (2015) (PDF) 
Research shows that a Living Wage helps improve the overall quality of life in a community. It helps lift children out of poverty by giving families a basic level of economic security, allowing them to live without the constant stress of deciding which bills to pay. Employers who pay a Living Wage report lower turnover and absenteeism rates, and greater employee engagement and loyalty. The additional money working families earn is spent in the local economy.
The Impact of Low Incomes on Households and Communities in Perth and Huron Counties (2019)
Read online as magazine How Much is Enough
Download the full report (PDF) | Download the Summary (PDF)
It’s a sobering statistic; 1 in 2 households in Perth and Huron Counties earn below the Living Wage level of $17.55/hr. Families working hard in minimum wage positions, or juggling 2 or 3 part time jobs, are forced to make hard decisions between paying rent and purchasing healthy food — and paying bills late if they can at all — creating constant stress. Shame, guilt and depression are common and the continuous, daily struggle to make ends meet creates an environment where it is hard to focus on anything other than survival. This can lead to a perpetual cycle of poverty, hurting individuals and deepening divisions within communities.
The How Much is Enough? report builds on previous research conducted in 2015 regarding the Living Wage in Perth-Huron. Focus groups were conducted in order to better understand the experiences of individuals earning below a Living Wage and employers that may want to pay, or do pay, a Living Wage.
Living Wage
Vol1 Ed1 Quarterly Report – Living Wage PDF
This report reviews the value of employers paying a Living Wage and the implications to consumers, the economy and the employee through the new realities of a minimum wage earner. The report also examines the benefits of reducing inequalities within a community by increasing consumer spending, productivity and employer success. Ultimately, paying a Living Wage is an investment in qualified, productive and committed employees often leading to an improved bottom line.
Basic Income
Vol1 Ed2 Quarterly Report – Basic Income PDF
Vol1 Ed 2 Booklet Summary – Basic Income PDF
A Basic Income is an unconditional cash transfer from government to individuals to enable everyone to meet their basic needs, participate in society and live with dignity, regardless of employment status.
Around the world, having a Basic Income is becoming recognized as a highly effective way to support important societal goals, including the reduction and elimination of poverty and economic insecurity; the narrowing of extreme income and wealth inequalities; improved health, democratic and economic functioning .
LEEP Survey Report: Basic Income
What Do You Think Would Happen in Your Community If We Had Basic Income in Canada? (pdf)
A volunteer panel made of Huron County residents who have current or past involvement with social systems in Huron and Perth. The majority of participants said that reducing poverty and increasing income security would be the greatest impact in our community. This includes reducing stigma and increasing community participation.