P.E.I. has lowest average hourly wage for jobs listed April to June: Statistics Canada

P.E.I."help wanted" listings for April toJune 2015 offered the lowest average hourly wages in the country, according to a recent Statistics Canada report.

The report crunched the wages offered in 1,500 job listings on P.E.I. in the second quarter, and found the money averaged $13.70 an hour. That's almost $2 less than the average for jobs listed for the same time period in neighbouring New Brunswick.

The math just doesn't work. Jane Ledwell, Status of Women

Advisory Council on the Status of Women Executive Director Jane Ledwell, who is alsopart of the P.E.I. Working Group for a Liveable Income, saidthe news is disappointing.

"It's really discouraging to see that that average is still so low," said Ledwell."It's just unimaginably hard to get by these days."

Island cost of living not lower

Ledwell says the provincial government has often excused low wages on the lower cost of living on the Island, but she says rental rates, electricity and food are notcheaper on P.E.I.

"It's just not factually true," said Ledwell."Trying to cover all those expenses with a low hourly wage is impossible to imagine. The math just doesn't work."

Ledwellsaid her group has proposeda pilot project to the province for abasic income guarantee that would seeminimum incomes for adults set at$18,000 a year, and $8,000 for a child.

"We still think that is a very good option for the P.E.I. economy and for P.E.I. households to be able to meet their needs."

Ledwellsaid she feels that the province is open to this possibility, butfor the 5-year pilot project to moveforwardthere wouldhave to be a commitment from the federal government, andthose negotiations haven't started yet.

Standing committee tour suggested

The leader of the provincial NDP, Mike Redmond, agrees a basic income guarantee would likely be the best solution.

But he suggests in the meantime,the provinceconvene a standing committee to tour the province and gather information on howelseto reducepoverty.

"So that's why I asked the premier 'Let's go across the Island. Let's have discussions,'" Redmond told CBC News.

"Let's first of all admit the fact that we're failing. Okay, because once you admit you have a problem then you can start to fix it."

Redmondwould like to see thatprovincialtour startearly in 2016, so areport could be filed within six months to a year that could help form a long-term strategy for poverty reduction.

Average hourly wage offered for vacant positions

• Canada: $18.80.

• Newfoundland and Labrador: $17.55.
• Prince Edward Island: $13.70.
• Nova Scotia: $16.60.
• New Brunswick: $15.75.
• Quebec: $18.30.
• Ontario: $19.30.
• Manitoba: $18.60.
• Saskatchewan: $18.55.
• Alberta: $19.85.
• British Columbia: $18.00.
• Yukon: $18.60.
• Northwest Territories: $25.35.
• Nunavut: $28.00.

Source: Statistics Canada job vacancy and wage survey