Assessing what it takes to make ends meet in Whitehorse in 2024, the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition (YAPC) has found that a full-time job earning at least $28.39 per hour is required for single residents of the city.
Released on July 18, YAPC's report is its first to consider the costs for single people living alone, while they previously reported on living wages required for a family of two working adults and two children. The wage a single person needs is higher than the $22.72 per hour wage required by both adults in the sample family from the other report. The report notes that the difference comes down to swelling costs of living coupled with government policies benefiting people with children such as the Canada Child Benefit, low-fee childcare and the federal dental plan.
"The Single Person Living Wage calculation highlights that there are very few income supports targeted to single individuals in the Yukon. Single people experience higher rates of poverty in Whitehorse and they are at more risk of having unsafe living situations, food insecurity or core housing need," the report reads.
YAPC has run its calculation based on the sample family of four every year since 2016, basing its methods on the Canadian Living Wage Framework. The living wage is one that covers the basic needs including housing, food and clothing. The report notes that YAPC's new single-person living wage calculation aligns with findings of similar calculations in other jurisdictions where it was consistently found that the single person needs to earn more per hour to meet their needs than a family might.
"Financial and social supports are crucial for single individuals in the Yukon. They provide a safety net that ensures everyone has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their circumstances. These supports help bridge the gap between poverty and stability, fostering a community where every person can feel secure and valued," said YAPC executive director Kristina Craig.
The report was unveiled at a barbecue and input session YAPC hosted near its office.
"What we have found is that, you know, two income earners with two kids is the reality of everybody's life. For one thing, it's also quite heteronormative. And it doesn't really respond to the fact that we have different makeups of families," Craig said at the barbecue, expanding on the choice to report on single-wage earners.
She noted that it is often easier for governments to put together supports for families with children.
"That often leaves out people who might not be in a family unit or who don't have children. And therefore, we don't really know or haven't really had a good sense of what the expense is and how affordable it actually is to live in a place if you were in a different kind of household."
Charlotte Hrenchuk, a YAPC board member, said the coalition has observed that while many people in need of help from social service agencies are single, their needs are often ignored by governments. She suggested that this might be due to better optics around providing assistance to children.
"Statistics show that single people sort of in the mid-range of age are most at need and falling through the cracks the most. They have no one else to rely on to help pay for food, housing, gas, bills, etc.," Hrenchuk said.
"So it's all on them and if they're working a very poorly-paying job, it just doesn't cut it and it's getting worse as inflation rises."
Craig noted the complexity of income assistance in the territory, with different programs administered by the territorial government, self-governing First Nations and federal bodies such as Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Who qualifies for what supports can be confusing.
"I think it is a real reflection that we have, we have as I say, built these systems that are not coordinated. And so, that is why people fall through the cracks," Craig said.
Craig and Hrenchuk also discussed the benefits of constructing more housing with single people in mind noting the possible struggles of living with roommates or health concerns that might make that situation more challenging. They said that rising housing costs with wages that don't keep up can leave people in "survival mode."
"I think if you're talking about social mobility, the sad reality for a lot of people living in that survival mode is that one little hitch in their health or some unforeseen circumstances happen and the only social mobility they have is down because there are no resources to recoup from whatever that loss was," Hrenchuk said.
— With files from Jake Howarth
