Bring Back the Living Wage, Urges OneCity Vancouver Councillor Lucy Maloney

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- January 15, 2026

VANCOUVER (Musqueam, Squamish and Tsieil-Waututh Territories) - An upcoming member's motion seeks to once again ensure the City of Vancouver pays its workers a wage that reflects the actual cost of housing, food, transportation, and other essentials.

The motion, sponsored by OneCity Vancouver Councillor Lucy Maloney, proposes that the City re-certify as a Living Wage Employer. Though Vancouver previously held that commitment, the City abandoned its certification  in 2023.

“A living wage is about dignity, security and the ability to raise a family here in the community you serve,” said Councillor Maloney. “In the face of continued affordability pressures, we must ask ourselves: Should City policy help workers keep up with the cost of living, or let them fall further behind? This motion will re-commit the City of Vancouver to fairness and to the working people who keep Vancouver running.”

Metro Vancouver’s living wage is currently $27.85 (Living Wage Report, 2025), which is 80 cents higher than the preceding year’s, and $10 per hour above the provincial minimum wage. Between 2024 and 2025, grocery prices increased 3.6% across Metro Vancouver. Food is the second-largest household expense, after shelter, which continues to be unaffordable for many who live and work in Vancouver.

“Workers, just like Vancouver residents, continue to feel the impact of rising costs for everyday basics. Adopting a living wage policy, is a meaningful step City Council can take to support the people who deliver our services every day,” says Santino Scardillo, CUPE 15 Acting President, representing City of Vancouver’s Parks and Inside Workers. “This is an opportunity for the City of Vancouver to lead by example and show that living wages support workers while also helping maintain the quality and consistency of the services residents, businesses, and visitors rely on every day."

OneCity has consistently advocated and pushed for living wages because they make a real difference in people’s lives. Paying workers enough to live in Vancouver is a floor, not a ceiling, and this motion will right the wrong made by Council in 2023 to walk away from the City’s living wage commitment.

“Reinstating the living wage policy is critical given the city’s exceptionally high cost of living, particularly for housing, food, childcare, and transportation,” says Amir Abbey, President CUPE Local 391 who represents Vancouver Public Library workers. “Many workers who are essential to the city’s economy struggle to afford basic necessities despite being employed, which deepens inequality and undermines community well-being. A living wage policy not only promotes dignity and fairness for workers, but also contributes to a more inclusive, stable, and resilient Vancouver by investing in the people who sustain its communities every day.”

Council will debate and vote on the motion at its upcoming Standing Committee on Policy and Strategic Priorities on January 21, 2026.