The living wage in Squamish has increased to $28 per hour for 2025 as families continue to face rising household expenses, according to a news release by the Squamish Community Foundation on November 13. The foundation, along with BC Policy Solutions and Living Wage BC, calculates the living wage annually to reflect the hourly pay a full-time worker needs to meet basic costs without chronic financial stress.
The new rate is $1.24 higher than the 2024 figure, representing a 4.6% increase from last year’s living wage of $26.76. The gap between Squamish’s living wage and British Columbia’s minimum wage has now grown to $10.15, with the provincial minimum wage set at $17.85.
According to the foundation’s 2025 Living Wage report, the living wage represents a basic standard of living that allows workers to cover essential needs, participate in community life and avoid ongoing financial pressure. It does not allow for many of the comforts or discretionary expenses that many households consider routine.
Housing remains the largest cost in the Squamish living wage budget. While rental prices have begun to soften, the report notes that rents remain out of reach for many residents. Food remains the second-largest expense and increased 3.6 per cent from last year. The report states that food insecurity has become a public health emergency, with lasting physical and mental health impacts.
Squamish’s living wage is slightly higher than that of Metro Vancouver, a difference the report attributes largely to higher childcare costs in the community. The rate is also higher than on the Sunshine Coast but remains below Whistler’s living wage of $29.60 per hour.
“Ongoing investments in childcare affordability, the full rollout of the Canadian Dental Care Plan in May and the recent increase to the BC Rental Assistance Program for families with children ease some pressures on household budgets, but the gains have been offset by persistent cost increases, particularly for housing,” said Anastasia French, Managing Director of Living Wage BC.
The 2025 calculation uses a weighted average of three household types: a two-parent family with two children, a single parent with one child, and a single adult living alone. This approach is intended to better reflect the varied experiences of local residents facing affordability challenges.
More than 450 employers in the province are certified as living wage employers, a designation that requires paying both direct and contract staff at least the local living wage. According to French, employers often report improved morale and retention when adopting the standard.
Blue Water Concepts owner Mike Van Capelle said the company chose to become a certified living wage employer to ensure fair compensation. “If our employees are committing to invest their time with us, the bare minimum commitment we should be making is paying them a living wage,” he said. “By paying our employees a fair living wage, the whole community benefits. We wanted to obtain certification to raise awareness around this but also set an example for others in our community and industry.”
The report notes that while designated employers help reduce working poverty, voluntary action alone is not enough to address B.C.’s broader affordability crisis. It calls for expanded government investment in affordable housing, more accessible childcare, strengthened financial supports for low-income individuals and families, and increased local food security initiatives to address rising inequality.
For media inquiries, the Squamish Community Foundation lists Carol Coffey, Board Director, as the primary contact.
