L IVING W AGE L EADERS OF W ATERLOO R EGION Waterloo Regional Labour Council Presented on April 8, 2014 Lyndsey Butcher, Project Manager

W HO W E A RE Social Planning Council of Kitchener-Waterloo and Community Members!

W HAT IS THE L IVING W AGE ? A community-specific hourly wage at which a two parent, two children household can meet its basic needs, once government transfers have been added to the family's income and taxes and deductions have been subtracted. In Ontario, Living Wage calculations have ranged from $14.95 to $ A LIVING WAGE: Enables working families to have sufficient income to cover reasonable costs Promotes social inclusion Supports healthy child development principles Ensures that families are not under severe financial stress Is a conservative, fully-costed, and reasonable estimate Builds significant and wide ranging community support Is a vehicle for promoting the benefits of social programs such as childcare and pharmacare

C ALCULATING THE L IVING W AGE Rent, Utilities & Insurance Food Transportation Childcare School supplies & fees Health benefits Life & Disability Insurance Recreation & family outings Adult education Clothing, footwear, laundry & household expenses Income taxes and payroll deductions Child Tax Benefit Regional Childcare Subsidy Universal Child Benefit GST Credit Ontario Child Benefit Trillium Benefit Tax Credits Employer-provided benefits (health plan, insurance) ExpensesBenefits

H OW W ILL THE L IVING W AGE P ROGRAM W ORK ? 1. Employers and the community are engaged in discussions on what it costs to live in our community 2. The living wage is calculated and local costs are sourced through Statistics Canada, the CMHC, and Public Health 3. Interested employers voluntarily commit to paying their direct and contracted employees a living wage 4. Certified employers receive a display decal, are featured in our materials, and are recognized publicly through events and promotion

W HY U NIONS S UPPORT L IVING W AGES ? Transforms low wage, often contracted-out work into jobs that can support a family Builds community awareness on the benefits of decent pay for families, our economy and the community Organizes campaigns to encourage employers to pay a living wage Recognizes and rewards good employers in our community Can be used as a tool in bargaining Can be used as a tool to engage the community in discussions on public benefits like childcare, transit, and pharmacare Low wages undermine all workers’ wages

W E NEED Y OUR S UPPORT ! The Living Wage Leaders of Waterloo Region has an ambitious strategy to sign up 40 employers in the next 3 years! Your Local’s financial support will help pay for: A part-time Project Manager Design and printing of materials Website and social media tools Outreach expenses Promotion expenses Community Events *Your Local’s contribution will be recognized on our website and promotional materials.

L IVING W AGE L EADERS OF W ATERLOO R EGION CONTACT US: Lyndsey Butcher, Project Manager PHONE: ext. 226 WEBSITE: FACEBOOK: /livingwagewaterloo