Ottawa resident learns he can't take public transit to his new middle class job

There was jubilation all round when Amazon broke ground on their new Ottawa Fulfillment (not to be confused with fulfilment) Centre last August. Amazon execs and politicians, from the US ambassador to PM Fluffy to local councillors, congratulated themselves for bringing hundreds of great middle class jobs to town.

Amazon is now hiring for those jobs. They’ve even been shamed into upping the pay to $16/hr! That should gross out at around $32k per annum, at least for full-time employees.

Jon Corignan is one of Amazon’s new hires, and he knows something the politicians don’t, namely that on $32,000/yr he’s not going to have both an apartment and a car. Although in times of yore a “middle class” family could typically afford both, he’s even willing to forgo the car, but wants the city to provide public transit to his new workplace.

Jon is to be commended for his eco-friendly choices, even if “choice” is perhaps not the right word in his situation. He of course retains the choice between having an apartment vs. having a car. As long as he gets a car that’ll accommodate the whole family, he should be good to go!

If working at an Amazon warehouse is a good middle class job, then having families living out of their cars in the Amazon parking lot is the new middle-class reality.