Living Wage

The Alberta Living Wage Network calculates the hourly rate of pay an individual needs to earn in order to maintain a modest standard of living once government transfers have been added and taxes have been subtracted. The calculation assumes that each adult works 35 hours per week, and three different household scenarios are considered: a two-parent family with two young children, a single-parent family with one young child, and a single individual. 

The living wage calculation is one of many affordability indicators available to municipalities. Employers, employees, non-profit organizations, and governments of all levels can use this indicator to better understand the different factors that contribute to livability and affordability when making decisions about which programs, services and benefits may have the biggest impact on lowering the living wage. While the living wage indicator identifies an income level that, if earned, ought to allow a household to maintain a modest standard of living within a community, the indicator is made up of assumptions that may or may not apply to a household. For this reason, the living wage is not intended to provide direction on wages.

The 2023 indicator wage (hourly) for Canmore is $38.80.

The indicator wage is a weighted average of three household scenarios: (1) a two parent and two child household, (2) a lone parent, and (3) a single individual.

Each household scenario calculation is a result of totaling all living expenses (food, clothing, shelter, etc.), reducing these expenses by the total government benefits available (childcare subsidy, climate action incentive, Alberta affordability payments, etc.), and adding the total taxes required.

Read the 2023 Alberta Living Wage Network Report