Can the city of Port Coquitlam afford to pay people a living wage?
Can it afford not to?
The knee-jerk reaction to this notion of paying employees a decent wage based on the cost of living would be to say No. But while it could cost a bit more each year to pay at least $19.75 per hour to staff and contracted workers who make less, there are valuable benefits of lifting people out of poverty and the city would benefit directly.
That's because those with more to spend help the economy and have the opportunity to be more fully engaged, productive and contributing members of society.
Is a living wage the answer to the high cost of living in Metro Vancouver, and the demobilization of workers by technology? No.
But it's a start.
