For many years, Canadian governments have tried to legislate higher earnings for low-wage workers. Living wage laws are a relatively new policy that gained prominence in American cities starting in the mid-1990s. Currently more than 140 American municipalities have a living wage law. In 2011,...

Key findings:•This study measures income mobility in Canada over two five-year periods (1996-2001 and 2002-2007) and over a 10-year and a 19-year period (1990-2000 and 1990-2009). In all periods, Canadians initially in the lowest income group (the bottom 20%) experienced the greatest relative...