Vernon's Sovereign Lake Nordic Club first living wage ski area in Canada

Photo: Contributed

Vernon's Sovereign Lake Nordic Club has become the first "living wage" ski area in Canada.

The club has made a commitment to help end working poverty by paying all its staff and contracted workers a living wage

The living wage is the hourly amount a family needs to cover basic expenses. The calculation is based on a two-parent family with two children, with each parent working full-time.

While figures aren't available for Vernon, the living wage for Kamloops is $15.93 an hour. Minimum wage in B.C. is $15.20 an hour.

“In placing our employees' health and financial stability front and centre, we help to build long-term, sustainable employment opportunities for our community, while reducing training costs in this traditional high staff turnover industry. With an 80% annual return rate of our employees, it helps maintain a friendly and familiar atmosphere for our members and guests.... By meeting and exceeding these minimum benchmarks for a living wage, we are creating a strong team more akin to a family than just a job” the club's Troy Hudson said in a press release.

“Paying a living wage is good for the employer, the employee and the local community. We invite other ski areas and local employers to join the movement,” says campaign organizer Anastasia French.

Nearly 250 employers in B.C. have made the voluntary living wage commitment.