Calgary's Living Wage Surges Above $26 per Hour
Calgary's cost of living continues its upward climb, with a recent report indicating the city's living wage has reached $26.50 per hour for 2025. This figure represents a significant increase from previous years, highlighting the escalating challenges many Calgarians face in maintaining a sustainable standard of living.
The primary drivers behind this surge are rising expenses in transportation, childcare, and food. For an average Calgary household, transportation costs are projected to hit $9,345 in 2025, a notable jump from the previous year. Food costs are also expected to rise, with an average household forecast to spend $15,872 on groceries this year. Compounding this, Calgary Transit fares saw incremental increases effective January 1, 2025, with most customers paying about 10 cents more per ride.
While new provincial flat-rate childcare fees of $326.25 per month for full-time care rolled out on April 1, 2025, aiming for $10-a-day childcare by 2026, the overall burden of expenses remains substantial for families. This comes amidst broader affordability pressures, including housing challenges that City Council continues to address through initiatives like the "Home is Here" housing strategy, despite some recent stabilization in housing prices and record housing starts.
The new living wage underscores a widening gap with Alberta's minimum wage of $15 per hour, now 77 percent higher, a statistic that Vibrant Communities Calgary emphasizes is critical for residents to move from simply "getting by" to "truly living." These findings are poised to influence ongoing discussions around wage policies and support initiatives as city leaders strive to ensure Calgary remains a place where all residents can thrive.
