Buy Social Canada is proud to be a certified living wage employer in both BC and Ontario. We believe everyone has the right to fair wages and a good quality of life, and we strive to ensure this both in our own business and in the businesses we work with. Through living wages, we support the creation of healthy, vibrant communities.

Living wages are an important way for businesses to contribute to the economic, social, and cultural wellbeing of their employees, and by extension their communities. A living wage is the hourly amount a family needs to cover basic expenses.

These basic expenses include: 

• Food
• Clothing
• Rental housing
• Childcare
• Transportation
• Small savings to cover illness or emergencies

The living wage calculation is based on the Canadian Living Wage Framework, and varies in each region.

“We are seeing an increase in demand in procurement for social value suppliers who pay a living wage. The City of Calgary for example, provides points on RFPs to businesses who pay a living wage.” – Tori Williamson, Director of Education and Communications.

Buy Social Canada is committed to paying, at a minimum, a living wage to all employees and staff employed by Buy Social Canada, as well as all employees and staff employed by a contractor or sub-contractor who perform services for Buy Social Canada on a regular ongoing basis. We also commit to prioritizing vendors and service providers that pay a living wage to their employees and staff.

We acknowledge that there is nuance in the wage structure and wrap around supports that social enterprises may offer to employees and that paying a living wage is only one of many ways to support employees and contribute to community well being.