For Ottawa's living wage earners, the extra dollars make a big difference

Living in Ottawa is expensive, and so is running a business as rising inflation drives up the cost of everything from food to fuel.

But some businesses are willing to pay their employees more than the bare minimum, even after two years of COVID-19 pandemic closures and restrictions that have eaten into bottom lines.

And it's making a difference, their employees say.

The Ontario Living Wage Network defines a living wage as the hourly rate a person needs to earn to cover basic expenses — food, clothing, housing and transportation among them — and participate in the community.

In Ottawa, that works out to $18.60, according to the network's calculations. General minimum wage in Ontario is currently $15.

Moo Shu Ice Cream & Kitchen, Aiana Restaurant Collective and Knifewear are three of 12 Ottawa businesses certified by the network as living wage employers.

'A bit of freedom'

Neha Sindhwani, 24, works at Moo Shu in Centretown and started earning a living wage there last month.

She started working at the shop four years ago and said she's had to keep a close eye on every dollar she spends. But now she has a bit more financial flexibility and doesn't have to panic at every veterinary bill for her cat.

"I definitely have noticed being able to have a bit of freedom within what I get in terms of my groceries, or in terms of my necessities," Sindhwani told CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning.

"And it's actually been really incredible to notice that it's not as horrifying when I have to pay a vet bill, because I do have that extra little bit that's coming through having a living wage."

Minimum wage insecurity 'a scary thing'

Luca De Marinis was a chef for a decade before taking a job in sales at the Glebe knife shop Knifewear, where he had been a customer for years.

"Knowing that they were a living wage company as a customer always made me feel good. And when it was time for me to ... leave the restaurant industry, and I saw that job posting, I jumped at it," De Marinis said.

"That insecurity of being paid minimum wage in a world that doesn't allow you to really get by is a scary thing."

Robert Lemieux, a sommelier and server at Aiana in the downtown core, said the living wage hasn't affected his finances much because he's nearing the end of a decades-long career and his assets are already paid off.

But it does help recruit young people, he said.

'Employers should take pride' in paying living wage

"It [makes] a difference when we try to ... encourage a lot of the younger crowd to come into this business, knowing that their wage can be leveraged toward a mortgage ... loan or even just rent," Lemieux said. "Especially now that housing has gone up so much, minimum wage cannot meet the requirements of rent."

It's also good public relations, he added.

"I think employers should take pride in showing off the fact that their employees are being well taken care of," Lemieux said. "It's a win-win situation, but it's difficult for employers to actually work that living wage into their business plan."

The nine other Ottawa businesses certified as living wage employers, according to the Ontario Living Wage Network, include:

• BentoSMB Inc.

• Cleen Detailing Inc.

• Fairtrade Canada

• Freiheit Care Inc.

• La Siembra Co-operative Inc.

• Matthew House Ottawa

• Ottawa Humane Society

• Ottawa Outdoor Gear Library

• Your Credit Union on Merivale Road and Chamberlain Avenue