The living wage for Grande Prairie has decreased by nearly a dollar per hour compared to last year. On November 8th, the Alberta Living Wage Network released new living wage calculations for 16 Alberta towns and cities based on the necessary hourly wage a worker needs to earn to cover their basic expenses and have a “modest standard of living” after tax.
Grande Prairie took the third-lowest spot on the list at $18.90 per hour beaten out only by Red Deer at $18.75 and Medicine Hat at $17.35. Last year, Grande Prairie’s calculated living wage was $19.65 per hour.
Despite the decrease in Grande Prairie, the ALWN says most municipalities saw an increase due to rising costs across the province. Cities like Calgary and Edmonton have been calculated at $23.70 per hour and $22.25 respectively, while Canmore topped out the list by nearly double the provincial average at $38.80.
According to the ALWN, the calculation is based on the needs of three household types: two-parent families with two young children, lone-parent families with one child, and single individuals, assuming adults are working full-time hours and expenses like child care.