(Montreal) Inflation makes life even more unaffordable in remote regions while households have no alternative to the car.
This is one of the conclusions of a report from the Institute for Socioeconomic Research and Information (IRIS) on viable income outside the major centers of Quebec. “As we move away from large centers, it costs more and more to achieve a viable standard of living,” summarizes researcher Guillaume Tremblay-Boily in an interview.
In many localities, the rise in gasoline prices has a double effect on the cost of living. It increases travel costs (often longer distances) and has an effect on the transport of food sold in communities.
The left-wing think tank developed a sustainable income indicator in 2015. It includes essential needs, but also the expenses necessary to “live with dignity”, for example vacations, cultural outings and savings to meet unforeseen events.
There are therefore significant variations between the 33 localities analyzed in the study. For example, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu in Montérégie is located outside a large center, but it is relatively close to Montreal. Conversely, locations like Schefferville on the North Shore are considered remote locations.
In Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, a single person needs $31,000 to have a viable income in 2023. In Schefferville, it takes $45,500 to live decently.
In a municipality served by a public transportation service, IRIS considers the cost of this public service in the viable income. When this option is not possible, it takes into account the costs of a car.
Even if the cost of housing is often lower in a remote location, the transportation variable “really weighs heavily” in the equation, underlines Mr. Tremblay-Boily. “The cost of owning a car is around $9,000 per year while public transportation, when it exists, generally costs around $2,000 per year,” notes the author of the study. It really makes a difference in achieving a viable income. »
Even with low densification, it is possible to find solutions to facilitate travel for the less fortunate. Mr. Tremblay-Boily offers various possible solutions: the shuttle service, the possibility of a municipality renting a car to its citizens, the electric bicycle or the taxi-bus service.
IRIS notes that there is a high prevalence of poverty outside major centers. In 75% of the localities surveyed, more than half of residents do not achieve a viable income.
The aging population with insufficient retirement income and the presence of seasonal industry are among the factors contributing to this situation.
“There are several localities on the North Shore and in Gaspésie that are devitalized, where people’s incomes are quite low,” underlines the researcher. Obviously, there are major exceptions like the mining towns of Havre-Saint-Pierre and Fermont which are towns where the income is much higher than the median income. »