It’s no surprise that Toronto is an expensive place to live but for someone new to the city it can be jarring to see just how much it costs simply to be in a location accessible to the office and downtown. As a job hunter, it can often feel like companies don’t take into consideration the financial commitment it takes for young employees to work for them, and this often reflects in the pay. Being at Media Profile, a company certified by LivingWage.ca for paying everyone a Toronto livable wage, has alleviated many of my stresses for me about getting into a new industry and paying my bills.
Did you know single-bedroom apartments on average are going for $2,600?! and basement units are often around $1,500. This usually doesn’t include the likes of utilities and other bills needed to live in the city functionally. The rent alone took me back considering I was paying nearly half while living in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. I was convinced I would need to get a second job just to make ends meet while I was looking for my internship to complete my post-grad certificate. Thanks to Media Profile’s guaranteed livable and consistent wage for interns, I’ve been able to focus on developing my skills like media monitoring, event planning and influencer relations, rather than simply surviving.
So what exactly is a livable wage? According to the Ontario Living Wage Network (OLWN), Toronto’s current livable wage is $25.05 in 2024. This wage changes often, increasing rather quickly. From 2022 to 2023, there was nearly an 8 percent increase. Luckily for me, this meant despite continuing in the same role, I too saw an increase in pay once the new livable wage was established.
The current livable wage of $25.05 is nearly a 40 percent increase from the current minimum wage of $16.65 and exceeds the $17 - $20 that you often find paid internships offering in the public relations sphere. This isn’t even considering those completing internships, school-sanctioned co-ops and work placements, estimated to be around 750,000 positions across Canada according to Toronto Labour Lawyer Andre Langille.
I find myself very fortunate to be at a company like Media Profile that allows me to not only pay my bills on time but also compensate me enough to enjoy the city I now call home. I’ve been able to go to my favourite restaurants with friends and even take a brief vacation skiing using the money earned from my internship.
Personally, above the financial security itself, it is the feeling of being valued as an entire person rather than a labourer. So many would love the opportunity to work with some of Media Profile’s great clients such as Starbucks and Honda simply for the experience. However, rather than leveraging these brand names to acquire unpaid interns, Media Profile has committed to making sure even those newest to the company can live to their full potential in and outside of work by compensating fair and livable wages for their employees.
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