The Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition has added its voice to groups interested in the current review of the territory's minimum wage.

In a letter to the Employment Standards Board, the coalition's three co-chairs, Charlotte Hrenchuk, Bill Thomas and Reanna Mohamed, applaud this year's raise to the minimum wage standard.

However, they say the increase "needs further revision to reflect the needs of economically vulnerable Yukoners.”

Last spring, the hourly wage was raised from $9.27 to $10.30. At that time, the board announced it would conduct consultations to determine if any further increases were needed.

Public consultations by the board ended this week.

The Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce is urging the board not to recommend a higher minimum wage.

"As stated in the information provided to stakeholders by the employment standards board, a person working full-time, 40 hours per week, earning minimum wage will have a gross income of $400 per week, or $20,800 per year,” the coalition's letter says.

"This yearly income places individuals and families just out of reach of the rising cost of living in the territory.”

The letter goes on to suggest the board consider instituting a living wage policy as opposed to simply raising the minimum wage.

"While minimum wage is a minimum legal standard of pay, a living wage reflects what an earner needs to make in order to cover the cost of living of themselves and their family in their region,” it says.

"Essentially, it is the hourly rate at which a household can meet its basic needs once government transfers and deductions have been subtracted.

"A living wage focuses on the needs of families, lifting parents out of severe financial stress and providing a very conservative and basic level of economic security.”

The group points to the 2006 census, which found that 4.3 per cent of Yukon families are living below the low-income, cut-off index.

"In particular, the unattainable cost of housing means that parents are faced with prioritizing rent over food or paying for heat over other utilities.

"It is well-established that children living in poverty are coming from families where one or both parents are working full time.

"High costs of safe and adequate childcare in Yukon also places significant strain on a family's budget, especially when one or both parents are required to work full-time to make ends meet.

"This tells us that the Yukon minimum wage is insufficient and is actually contributing to the cyclical nature of poverty,” the letter says

" Low wage earners are more often women, visible minorities, new immigrants, aboriginal, and individuals living with disabilities.

"These groups are already overrepresented as those living in poverty in our community. While the work of low wage earners is traditionally devalued, there are options to honour the human right we all have to earn a dignified and equitable wage.”

Living wage policies currently exist in parts of the Lower Mainland of British Columbia and parts of the United States and United Kingdom.

In New Westminster, B.C., the first municipality in Canada to adopt a living wage policy, the coalition claims the community saw reduced absenteeism; increased skill; morale and productivity levels; and ability to attract and keep employees in a tight labour market; and improved customer satisfaction.

"Advocates for a living wage recognize that this approach to reducing poverty is healthy for individuals, families, communities and employers.

"It reduces social exclusion, promotes gender equality, supports healthy childhood development principles, and enables working families to escape poverty

"It also emphasizes the benefits of government involvement in reducing poverty through income transfers and employee benefit programs,” the coalition says.

"Living wage policy recognizes that the problems of poverty and social exclusion cannot be fixed solely through adequate labour market wages.”