Living wage employers continue to grow in B.C. and School District 69 (Qualicum) is the first school district in the province to support the living wage concept.
A living wage is calculated for each community, adjusted for inflation and based on an average family with two working parents and two school age children.
In Vancouver for example each adult would have to make $18.81 per hour, in District 69 it is $16.27.
Members of The Living Wage Coalition including former school trustee Bill Preston and NDP candidate Barry Avis applauded the board’s decision.
Preston thanked the board on behalf of the coalition for taking a leading role and being the first school district in the province to establish a living wage policy.
Trustee Eve Flynn said she hopes they will set an example for other employers.
• Her shoes will be hard to fill, but a replacement has been named for Secretary-Treasurer Bernice Hannam.
The long time school district 69 administrator will be retiring effective August 1. She will be replaced by Erica Bailey from Kenora, Ontario.
• The school board voted to continue charging $40 per student for bus transportation and $100 for courtesy riders.
The rates are unchanged from last year.
Trustee Julie Austin said since they will be looking into the transportation plan, she is hopeful they will come up with ways to bring the fees down because the amount is a hardship for some families.