‘I had a long chat with one of my regular customers the other day,’ Camp said after he got comfortable in his usual chair by the window. ‘We talked about how we are all struggling to keep up with inflated prices, home ownership, rentals and affordability.’

            ‘The working poor? The pensioners using the foodbanks?’ I asked.

            ‘No, this woman, I call her Jane, laid out her financial situation to me without any qualms about privacy or shame. Jane has a 14year old daughter and is divorced. She and her husband owned a mortgaged home together but since neither one could afford to buy the other one out, they agreed to rent it out for the time being.’

‘Sounds like she is ok, maybe upper middle class?’

‘Jane has a master’s degree in health management and makes over $ 100’000 a year. After taxes around $ 72’000. Take away pension contribution and health plan and you end up with about $ 65’000 in your bank account or about $ 5’400 per month.’

            ‘Wow, that pares it down significantly,’ I said.

‘Yes. This is what she said: The rent on the house we still own together pays the mortgage and taxes on the property. If we sell it, neither one of us will be able to afford to buy back into the market today. My daughter and I live in a small house I rented for $ 3000.- per month, Hydro, natural gas, TV, internet, insurances etc. about $ 1’000 per month. Which leaves us around $ 1’400 for food, clothes, petrol and various other small expenses. Forget about travel, forget about savings, forget about emergency funds like if I need a new car or my daughter wants to go on a holiday with her friends.  Forget about extra curricula activities. Period.’ I just stood there, following the numbers game to zero with Jane.’

‘Wow, less than $ 1’500 a month for two people to live on? What kind of middleclass standards are those? Mind you, nobody is going to feel sorry for Jane.’

‘Exactly. I’d be happy to make a hundred grand a year from the book store. I pay myself a minimum wage and expenses. If it wouldn’t be for Muriel’s teaching job, I’d be moving in with you and Clare,’ Camp said, taking a healthy swallow from his pint.

‘Which leaves the question how most people manage. Not everybody makes a hundred grand a year.’

‘I checked it out,’ Camp said. ‘Consider that the median (not average) income of Canadians is around $ 55’000 per year while a 2bdr condo rents for around $ 2’600 per month. A house would be more. It takes more than one income per household to afford a house, either mortgaged or rented. The rule of thumb is that you should not pay more than 30% of your income for rent. If you make $ 60’000 a year, then you cannot afford to rent even a one-bedroom condo in today’s market.’

‘There goes the illusion of middle class if you earn $ 100’000.’

‘Where does that leave the pensioners?’

‘90% of seniors get Old Age Security (OAS) and Canada Pension Plan (CPP) while around 30% receive Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). On average, these pensions provide an annual income of around $ 23’000 per recipient. Not exactly living in the clover. Without savings these old folks live on the edge of bankruptcy and more and more are dependent on food banks. And living in trailer parks.’

‘Some sobering numbers,’ I said.

When Vicky came around to swap our empties I had to ask. ‘How much rent do you pay if you don’t mind me asking?’

‘I live with my mom, who is also my primary baby sitter and I help out with the food and bills.  Then there is my tuition for which I took out a student loan. Let’s just say, I couldn’t afford to move out with my 5year old if it wasn’t for my mom. Life in the fast lane boys.’

We left her a royal tip.