Min Wage to be set at $7/hr

[Incinerator]

Originally posted by KevanGuy+Feb 11 2005, 02:14 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (KevanGuy @ Feb 11 2005, 02:14 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

I find it hard to believe it would cost less to live in Calgary than anywhere in Saskatchewan, even with provincial taxes factored in.

Sask isnt included in this study but it shows Alberta is low relative to the rest of the Country.

http://www.alberta-canada.com/statpub/pdf/...ostLiving04.pdf [/b][/quote]
It compares Alberta to Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Vancouver, which needless to say will find that Alberta has the lowest cost of living against these cities. The point is that Alberta has the lowest minimum wage in ALL of Canada including the so called "have-not" provinces that is supposedly to be cheaper to live in than Alberta, and that is precisely why our minimum wage is unacceptable when it's lower than Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and bloody hell: Yukon.

[KevanGuy]

I understand that. I just couldnt find a quick link with the entire country (if there even is one). And I wouldn't assume the cost of living is less in the Yukon. You can bet a cart load of groceries costs a hell of alot more in Whitehorse then it does in Red Deer.

[Incinerator]

Originally posted by KevanGuy@Feb 11 2005, 02:37 AM
I understand that. I just couldnt find a quick link with the entire country (if there even is one). And I wouldn't assume the cost of living is less in the Yukon. You can bet a cart load of groceries costs a hell of alot more in Whitehorse then it does in Red Deer.

in Whitehorse it's not that bad, their grocery prices are about in line with your corner 7-Eleven from my experience, which is reasonble considering the transportation cost & all. I don't know about Red Deer though, never stayed over for more than a day.

[Daradon]

Originally posted by albertGQ+Feb 10 2005, 02:45 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (albertGQ @ Feb 10 2005, 02:45 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

sorry man, but I beg to differ....Alberta has one of the highest rates for insurance in the country (auto/home), since deregulation, our electricity rates have increased by around 30% (dont even get me started on this), natural gas prices are pretty much constant thru-out the land.....except for some communities that bought co-op gas at a much lower rate...if your a renter in an apartment, forget about the gas rebate. One thing we still have going for us is the no pst, but as far as just money for 'living', Alberta is expensive.

Not to mention one of only three provinces that have health care premiums.



With all that being said, I beleive Alberta is still the lowest taxed province in Canada. What we need to do is get the federal gov't to cut taxes. The $8500 exemption level is just ridiculously low. They need that raised for sure [/b][/quote]
Your not serious are you?

You can't live off $8500 a year... especially if you have dependants. And you're probably paying Federal tax anyway. So take more money from these people so they can turn to social programs which the taxpayers fund anyway?

Seems like a wasted step to me. And bueracracy always costs money.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally posted by jcody+Feb 10 2005, 08:43 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (jcody @ Feb 10 2005, 08:43 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

Alberta also has one of the lowest costs of living (maybe not Calgary though). Rent, food, energy, and taxes are lower than most other places in Canada.

Raising minimum wage will eventually add to inflation, and we'll all end up paying more for stuff.

sorry man, but I beg to differ....Alberta has one of the highest rates for insurance in the country (auto/home), since deregulation, our electricity rates have increased by around 30% (dont even get me started on this), natural gas prices are pretty much constant thru-out the land.....except for some communities that bought co-op gas at a much lower rate...if your a renter in an apartment, forget about the gas rebate. One thing we still have going for us is the no pst, but as far as just money for 'living', Alberta is expensive. [/b][/quote]
I lived in Ontario, BC, Manitoba, and Alberta (now), and next to Manitoba - Alberta is the cheapest place to live for me at least.

[albertGQ]

Originally posted by Daradon+Feb 10 2005, 09:21 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Daradon @ Feb 10 2005, 09:21 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

Not to mention one of only three provinces that have health care premiums.



With all that being said, I beleive Alberta is still the lowest taxed province in Canada. What we need to do is get the federal gov't to cut taxes. The $8500 exemption level is just ridiculously low. They need that raised for sure

Your not serious are you?

You can't live off $8500 a year... especially if you have dependants. And you're probably paying Federal tax anyway. So take more money from these people so they can turn to social programs which the taxpayers fund anyway?

Seems like a wasted step to me. And bueracracy always costs money. [/b][/quote]
You misread my post. I said the federal gov't should increase the $8500 exemption level to help out the lower income Canadians

[Sylvanfan]

Originally posted by Incinerator+Feb 11 2005, 02:41 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Incinerator @ Feb 11 2005, 02:41 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-KevanGuy@Feb 11 2005, 02:37 AM
I understand that. I just couldnt find a quick link with the entire country (if there even is one). And I wouldn't assume the cost of living is less in the Yukon. You can bet a cart load of groceries costs a hell of alot more in Whitehorse then it does in Red Deer.

in Whitehorse it's not that bad, their grocery prices are about in line with your corner 7-Eleven from my experience, which is reasonble considering the transportation cost & all. I don't know about Red Deer though, never stayed over for more than a day. [/b][/quote]
From what I heard for things like cost of gas, cost of grocerys etc...Alberta for the most part is quite a bit cheaper than the Yukon. Of course Alberta is pretty large, and thats not the case in a place like say Fort McMurray. The point is minimum wage for the most part is for beginning workers. Anyone who has any reasonable experience at any job makes more than that. Even serving staff in restaurants make out pretty good with tips. Heck when I was in highschool working as a delivery boy for a ma & pa Chinese food restaurant in Kamloops I used to average at least $8 an hour in tips. I guess raising minimum wage guarantees 3% of the population a better rate of pay, but it makes 100% of the population pay more for everyday things.

[Jaybo]

Saskatchewan is the cheapest place to live in Canada. (Page down for a 10-city, cross-Canada cost of living comparison.)

This is according to a chart in the Saskatchewan government's annual budget document. So take that how you will but if you look at what they use to compare the largest cities in each province (housing prices, utility rates, taxes), I don't see anything that's skewing the results - all of the things they list are things that a typical middle-class home-owner will have to pay depending on their respective province.

True, this doesn't factor in "quality of life" things - some people will prefer certain cities because of amenities that a place like Saskatoon can't offer (NHL hockey, access to mountains, job prospects.) But some people will prefer Saskatoon over larger centres for what it offers - small-town feel, short commutes, balmy winters.

After the UN Study a few years back that named Canada the best country on earth, we know about the follow-up study that named Saskatchewan as the best place in Canada right? If not, I'll try to find that too.

Jason (Saskatchewan-born, Albertan from 2001-2004, returned home late in '04)

Edit: Calgary is actually the 4th most expensive place to live in Canada behind only Toronto, Vancouver and Halifax!

[I-Hate-Hulse]

That Sask Govt page is interesting.... let's cross it with some Statcan data

Average Calgarian Income: 49,321
Average Saskatoonian?....errr.. Rider Fan Income: 39,439
(all stats 2001 as per Statscan.ca)

Since that Sask data is at a $50,000 income level we need to pro rate the final value a bit: (Divide the provided Sask data by 50K and mult by the above average incomes)

Then subtract from the above Average Incomes.

Final tally:
Average Calgarian Income after living costs: 32,239
Average Saskatoon Income after living costs: 28,094

Saskatchewan may be the cheapest to live in but your income earning potential is more limited. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to start a Sasktoon v. Calgary war here but I just want to show how that data was a bit misleading.

(I'm actually hoping to go to Saskatoon / Regina this summer. Haven't been yet and would like to see it myself. Lots of friends and the g/f are from there)

[KevanGuy]

Originally posted by I-Hate-Hulse@Feb 15 2005, 10:01 PM
(I'm actually hoping to go to Saskatoon / Regina this summer. Haven't been yet and would like to see it myself. Lots of friends and the g/f are from there)

I'd skip Regina and just check out Saskatoon. Great little city. Not much to do but its a pretty nice place.

[CaramonLS]

With 1 accident on my record a 1998 Acura Integra costs 7000$ per year to insure. Thats what they quoted me.