Thank you for publishing the article about the cost of a living wage in Abbotsford. There are two issues I would like to draw to your attention.
I did notice that one item was missing from your basic budget. You need to put in dental care. Dentists have a monopoly in this country. While there is a fee guide, they can charge a lot more than that.
Dental insurance, if one is lucky enough to have some, only covers a small portion of dentists’ demands.
It is not exaggerating to suggest that if one needs a crown or something else beyond the basic care, that the insurance cost can amount to an entire month’s income, or even several months.
Your budget assumes that the person is working full-time. What happens to that budget when hours are cut?
Linda Matties, Abbotsford
