HARSH REALITY FOR SINGLE PARENTS

 

The Harsh Math for Single Parents in Nanaimo

Introduction

When we talk about the “cost of living,” the focus usually lands on the average family of four. Two parents, two kids, two incomes. But what about the single mom or dad raising just one child in Nanaimo? For them, the math isn’t just hard—it’s brutal.

One Paycheque, Two Lives to Support

British Columbia’s minimum wage sits at $17.85 an hour. For a single parent working full-time (35 hours per week), that adds up to about $32,500 before tax in a year.

A living wage in Nanaimo, adjusted for a single parent household, is closer to $27.50 an hour. That means $50,000 before tax. The gap between what they earn and what they need is about $17,500 a year—roughly $1,460 every month.

For most single parents, that’s the difference between hanging on and falling behind.

Housing Alone Can Break the Budget

Try putting a roof over your head. A two-bedroom apartment averages $1,775/month in Nanaimo. Even a modest one-bedroom is $1,400–$1,500.

For a parent earning minimum wage, rent alone can swallow half to two-thirds of gross income—before food, heat, or bus fare. At the living wage, it’s still a strain, but at least closer to the 30–35% rule of thumb.

Housing insecurity isn’t an abstract talking point here—it’s the everyday calculation that determines whether a single parent stays in Nanaimo or leaves.

Food Costs: The Hidden Pressure

Canada’s 2025 Food Price Report estimates a family of four will spend $16,800 a year on groceries—about $351 per person, per month. Scale that down to a single parent and child, and you’re still looking at $700/month for food.

Combine food with rent, and you’re already at $2,200–$2,475 per month in unavoidable costs. On a minimum-wage income of $2,700/month gross, that leaves maybe $200–$500 for everything else: hydro, internet, clothes, school fees, prescriptions. And that’s before taxes come off the top.

Childcare: The Silent Deal-Breaker

Even if childcare subsidies apply, part-time or after-school care can cost hundreds more per month. For many single parents, this is the deal-breaker that makes holding down a full-time job nearly impossible. Some give up paid work altogether, which just deepens the cycle of dependence and stress.

Coping Strategies, or Coping Mechanisms?

When the basics consume 80–90% of income, people cut corners wherever they can. Groceries shrink. Bills get deferred. And, for some, alcohol or other coping mechanisms take on a bigger role. Island Health data suggests Nanaimo residents consume more alcohol than the provincial average—a financial and social drain that quietly compounds family stress.

The Community Safety Net Is Fraying

We see the strain at Loaves & Fishes, where donations are falling even as demand rises. We see it at community events like the barber’s back-to-school haircut drive, where the turnout was the highest ever. These aren’t one-off stories. They are the barometers of a community under pressure.

Why This Matters

For a single parent in Nanaimo, the math is merciless: working full-time at minimum wage leaves them with no margin, no buffer, and no realistic way to save. Even at a living wage, the breathing room is modest.

This is the story behind the headlines. When City Hall debates abstract growth plans, or Victoria congratulates itself on macroeconomic numbers, the single parent doing her grocery list on the back of an overdue hydro bill is invisible.

Voice of Nanaimo exists to make sure she isn’t invisible. Because until policy-makers recognize that the economy only works if it works for her, Nanaimo’s cost-of-living crisis will keep forcing families to the edge.