The Hook

The Hook Blog

Political News. Freshly caught. A Tyee Blog

Labour + Industry

New West enacts Canada’s first living wage law

By Monte Paulsen April 28, 2010 08:01 am 5 comments

New Westminster has become the first city in Canada to pass a "living wage" bylaw, effectively raising the minimum wage paid by the municipality.

"New Westminster has taken a stand for working families today by setting this powerful precedent,” said Dave Tate of BC ACORN, one of 40 organizations that lobbied for the bylaw.

Living wage bylaws set a wage "floor" above the minimum wage for workers who work directly for the city, for firms that receive contracts from the city, and firms that receive economic development money from the city.

"Once the policy is implemented, all direct and indirect workers (contract workers, etc.) performing work on City premises will earn a wage no lower than $16.74," Tate said in an email.

BC ACORN presented a petition with 1,200 signatures in support of the bylaw. The New Westminster campaign was just one of many underway across the country. A similar bylaw was recently rejected by the City of Calgary.

"This gives working people hope that the tide of stagnant wages is receding in Canada," Tate said.

Filed in

5 Comments:

Login or register to post comments

  • SharingIsGood

    1 year ago

    WAHOOO!

    I commend New West for their vision. Now it is time for the people of the province to shame the province into giving the health care workers their jobs back - at a living wage! The notion that we could save money by firing people and then hiring for profit companies to hire workers at a lower wage has been a dismal failure for average people.

  • G West

    1 year ago

    Very Good news

    Maybe someone in New West could phone the CEO.

  • crankypants

    1 year ago

    Kudos to New Westminster

    Finally we have some politicians with the intestinal fortitude to make an attempt at treating their citizens with respect. Too bad it won't apply to all the people working in this city. With today's other major announcement from Victoria, it is nice to know that at least some people will be able to afford to pay our ever increasing hydro rates.

  • Grania

    1 year ago

    New West Living Wage

    I would like the names of those responsible and encourage them to run for provincial government office. I want one of them for Premier!

  • freebear

    1 year ago

    So is New Westminister hiring?

    We all can't work for the municipality we live in!

    • No best comments selected by an editor for this story yet. To see all comments, click the All Comments tab, above.
    • The discussion for this story is closed. No more comments can be added.
    Search The Tyee
    Register to comment

    'Tight-fisted, hand to the grind-stone' budget

    About The Hook

    Last week Christy Clark surprised the province by firing former-CTV journalist Chris Olsen as her press secretary and hiring Sara MacIntyre, Stephen Harper's former press secretary, to be the premier's director of communications. MacIntyre doesn't start her new position until March 6th, just missing the flurry of media requests sure to come after the passing of the provincial budget on Tuesday, which CTV has labelled "tight-fisted" after Finance Minister Kevin Falcon promised minimal spending increases in order to reach the goal of a balanced budget in 2013-14.

    The Federal Conservatives have their own PR battles this week, with the hacker group Anonymous taking responsibility for the tweeting of Public Safety Minister Vic Toews' divorce affidavit. In a YouTube video posted Feb. 17, Anonymous promised to reveal more information about Toews private life if government did not kill Bill C-30, which would give police access to internet users private information without a warrant. Given that Toews himself didn't know the extent of the power Bill C-30 would give to the police, opponents can feel some relief from Toews announcement the bill will now return to committee for further review.

    Keep checking the Hook this week to watch your bobber on these issues and more!

    -- Katie Hyslop