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Vernon ski area first in Canada to pay living wage

Sovereign Lake Nordic Club invests in staff and contracted workers
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Sovereign Lake Nordic Club is the first ski area in Canada to signify its commitment to ending working poverty, by paying all its staff and contracted workers a living wage. (Contributed)

Vernon is home to the first ski area in Canada to signify its commitment to ending working poverty, by paying all its staff and contracted workers a living wage: Sovereign Lake Nordic Club.

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 – the most common family unit in B.C. – with each parent working full-time. The living wage for Kamloops is $15.92 an hour.

“Sovereign Lake Nordic Club is honoured to be recognized as a living wage employer. 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,” Sovereign’s Troy Hudson said. “With an 80 per cent annual return rate of our employees, it helps maintain a friendly and familiar atmosphere for our members and guests. We want to ensure that as an employer we can foster inclusivity and diversity in the workplace. 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.”

Certifying as a Living Wage Employer is a voluntary commitment employers make to invest in their communities and local economies. There are nearly 250 living wage employers in B.C., with over 25,000 employees who don’t need to worry about how they will afford rent, food and other essentials for their family because they are guaranteed to earn a living wage.

“We’re delighted that Sovereign Lake Nordic Club has come on board as a living wage employer. Paying a living wage is good for the employer, the employee and the local community,” Living Wage for Families campaign organizer Anastasia French said. “We invite other ski areas and local employers to join the Living Wage movement.”

READ MORE: Sovereign Lake Nordic Club applauded for exceptional park stewardship

READ MORE: B.C.’s minimum wage to increase to $15.20 on June 1, highest of any province


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Jennifer Smith

About the Author: Jennifer Smith

Vernon has always been my home, and I've been working at The Morning Star since 2004.
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