Image Credit: Kent Simmonds / CFJC Today

By Dylana Kneeshaw

LIVING WAGE REPORT

‘It’s the very least we can do’; Living Wage Employer in Kamloops extols the virtues of fair pay

Nov 20, 2025 | 4:51 PM

KAMLOOPS — The latest report measuring what the living wage is for different cities across B.C. was issued this week. It showed another increase in how much it costs the average family and single person to pay for rent, groceries and other basic bills.

The latest Living Wage BC report saw the rate in Kamloops grow by 3.2 per cent to $24.45. So far, there are two dozen companies in Kamloops certified as Living Wage Employers. Extreme Excavating is one of them and owner Doug MacLeod says the reason is simple.

“(I’ve) worked too many years to not appreciate how hard of work it is. We’ve never lived off the backs of our employees,” says MacLeod. “Some companies, always (offer) cheap wages and no benefits, and we’ve always thought if a person gets a decent wage and decent benefits and if they can meet their needs, they’re going to be a better employee.”

MacLeod says it’s also a response to a different financial climate than in past decades.

CFJC-TV

Kamloops born-and-raised Dylana Kneeshaw to succeed Bill O'Donovan as CFJC-TV lead anchor

13h ago

TWO & OUT

PETERS: Boyle's supportive housing move is data-driven decision-making gone wrong

18h ago

Looped In

LOOPED IN WITH NIKKI OMEN: December 11, 2025

Dec 11, 2025

“I worry about the young people. My kids are all old enough that I think they’re okay, but the young people getting out of school today and trying to make a living and make ends meet — never mind trying to put a down payment together for a house,” he notes.

Living Wage BC’s provincial manager Anastasia French says putting out the annual report is partly meant to advocate for more employers to pay that rate.

“We have had, since we released the report, several employers getting in touch and being like, ‘I can do this. I’m close. I can become a living wage employer,'” she says.

The report also notes government policies and spending decisions play a huge part. Some of the largest drivers of the growing rate calculations are food and housing inflation.

“If we can continue the roll out of $10-a-day child care, if we can continue the investments we’re seeing in affordable housing, that will see that living wage come down,” explains French. “When that living wage comes down, it’s good news for workers, it’s good news for employers.”

Coming from employers who pay wages that can cover housing, food, gas and other basics, it is a proven way to retain employees.

“If you’ve got a happy employee, it makes life so much easier for everybody involved. And if people can meet their basic monetary needs. it’s going to make their life a lot easier. I think it’s the very least we can do,” adds MacLeod.