Automation ROI for Vancouver SMBs: Costs, Savings & Timelines

*With Vancouver’s living wage now $27.05 per hour and over half of Canadian SMEs still facing labour shortages, relying on people alone is expensive and unsustainable. Automation and RPA can cut labour costs by 25–50% and automated systems operate at 60–80% less than the cost of human labour, so your ROI can grow quickly while your team focuses on growth

Steps to calculate and maximise automation ROI

1. **Identify high-cost, repetitive tasks** – look at data entry, invoicing, payroll and other admin work.

2. **Compare hiring vs automation costs** – a new employee at the Vancouver living wage costs around $27 per hour plus benefits; automation tools can cut that by 25–80%.

3. **Implement and measure** – deploy RPA or AI workflow solutions, track hours saved and error reduction, and refine your processes.

Labour constraints for Vancouver SMBs

- 53% of SMEs say labour shortages are a major barrier to growth, and 44% report that a shortage of skilled labour limits their ability to increase sales.

- 69% of small businesses cite a shortage of qualified candidates, while 57% face mismatched pay and benefit expectations.

- In Metro Vancouver the living wage is $27.05 per hour, among the highest in B.C., making hiring expensive for small businesses.

### Savings & ROI from automation- Automating manufacturing tasks can reduce labour costs by up to 40%, and RPA delivers 25–50% labour cost savings for software-based processes.

- 59% of businesses cite cost reduction as the primary benefit of automation, and automated systems can cost 60–80% less than human labour for the same tasks.

- These savings translate into rapid ROI; with high labour costs in Vancouver, many SMBs recoup their investment within months.

### Why choose Rex Automaton

- We specialise in building AI-driven workflows and automations tailored to Vancouver SMBs.

- Our team integrates tools like Make, n8n and Zapier with custom RPA and machine learning to eliminate repetitive tasks and streamline operations.

- We understand local labour challenges and design solutions that deliver measurable ROI, freeing your team to innovate.

### Summary

By automating repetitive tasks and leveraging AI and RPA, Vancouver SMBs can offset rising labour costs, overcome persistent hiring challenges and unlock savings of 25–50% or more. With high living wages and skilled labour shortages, automation offers a clear ROI path: lower costs, faster processes and a workforce focused on growth.