A living wage for Toronto

The real to after-tax income consumption possibilities afforded to a family In our calculation of a living wage, we take into whose income meets this threshold is not at all account the full range of generally available luxurious; it covers only the basics of what To- transfers and tax credits as well as all of the ma- rontonians consider to be the essential elements jor features of the income tax [...] The budget reflects the age and gender of the •. Other family expenditures; family members assumed in the reference fami- •. Child care; lies for the living wage. [...] The ure for a family of four to reflect the changes in the rental housing component of the Consumer a living wage for toronto 13 table 3. Clothing and Footwear connection (reflecting the fact that conventional Family of 4, 2 adults working ”free” television signals are not even available in Clothing and footwear (annual) $2,504 many parts of the GTA). [...] In our living wage model, the cost of op- erating a car is included in the estimate of costs for any family with two or more children, on table 5. Cost of Car Ownership the assumption that in most regions of the GTA Average annual cost of operating a 4-year old. [...] On a life-cycle average ba- in the calculation vary with the age of the child sis (averaging the family’s child care expenses and with the type of care required, with after- over all the years in which the family includes a school care valued at a lower rate consistent with child of 18 years age or less), the annual average the City’s rate schedule.