The cost of food and housing is driving up the living wage in communities across B.C. In Revelstoke the living wage has increased by $4.09 since last year.
The living wage is the cost that two parents each need to earn, working full time, to support a family of four. Calculations include the cost of food, housing, transportation and child care.
Revelstoke's is calculated to be $23.60, and last year it was $19.51. This is according to a report released by Living Wage for Families and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
Revelstoke's living wage is a bit lower than Golden's, which is $25.56. That's the second highest calculated in the province after Haida Gwaii, which is $25.87. The lowest calculated living wages in B.C. are $18.98 in the Fraser Valley, and $19.14 in Kamloops.
The report says that the provincial government's child care programs have eased the cost of living for families with children. It says knowing the living wage, helps communities identify policy that will address poverty.
In a press release Thursday, the City of Revelstoke said it has current grants for updating its Poverty Reduction Strategy and Food Security Strategy.
A Consumer Price Index report for B.C. from October shows that the cost of food in the province is 9.1 per cent higher this year than last.
Nearly everything costs more according to this report: Beer, tobacco, rent, heating, gas for vehicles, public transportation, furniture, recreation, health and personal care.
The cost of clothes and shoes went down by 0.3 per cent.
Composting available
StokeFM reported at the beginning of November that the new composting facility at the Revelstoke landfill is open.
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District announced this week in a press release that households and businesses can now drop off compost to the facility, in compost-certified bags.
Highway 1 open
Construction continues on Highway One through the Kicking Horse Canyon, but the road is now open to traffic.
This is one week earlier than anticipated.
B.C.'s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure said in a press release the road will be closed with a detour again this spring, and that the project should be complete next winter.
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