Sudbury living wage jumps to $19.70 per hour

Sudburians now need to earn nearly $20an hour in order to cover basic living expenses and enjoy modest participation in community life.

The Ontario Living Wage Network released its latest calculations this week, showing how much Ontarians need to earn in different communities in order to make ends meet. In Sudbury, the calculated living wage is now $19.70.

Meanwhile Ontario's minimum wage is $15.50 per hour.

The Sudbury Workers Education and Advocacy Centre worked with the Ontario Living Wage Network to help calculate the living wage for the region. In a news release, the centre said the rising costs of housing and transportation were "key drivers" behind the jump in Sudbury's rate.

The discrepancy between the living wage and the province's minimum wage means many working Sudburians are struggling to make ends meet. Dan Xilon, the executive director of the Sudbury Food Bank, said the demographics of its clients are shifting.

"We've got a lot of people requesting the services. A lot of new people, and a lot of those new people are people that actually have jobs," Xilon said.

"Right now our number of people that have jobs is about 18 per cent. It used to be like about 12."

The Ontario Living Wage Network calculated living wages for 10 regions in the province. All of those regions saw an increase, but the biggest jump was in Sault Ste. Marie. The rate there is the same as Sudbury's, at $19.70, which was an increase of $3.50 or 21 per cent.