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Labour Minister Harry Bains announced today that B.C.’s minimum wage will go up on June 1.
Screen grab from Province of B.C. YouTube
B.C. raising minimum wage to $15.65
Published 2:44 PDT, Mon March 14, 2022
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Minimum wage in B.C. will raise from $15.20 to $15.65 per hour on June 1.
In 2020, the province committed to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour through measured, predictable increases, and then tie future increases to the rate of inflation. B.C.'s minimum wage is now the highest of all Canadian provinces.
"B.C. had one of the lowest minimum wages in the country prior to 2017, but was one of the most expensive places to live," said Labour Minister Harry Bains. "We do not want our lowest-paid workers to fall behind. The minimum wage increases tied to inflation are part of our plan to build an economy that works for everyone."
Over the past five years, B.C.'s general minimum wage has increased from $11.35 to $15.65 per hour. The increases have benefited close to 400,000 British Columbians over those years, the majority of whom are women, immigrants, and youth.
The upcoming minimum wage increase to $15.65 an hour is the first one to be tied to British Columbia's average annual inflation rate. This year's rate is 2.8 per cent and was calculated from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2021. This is consistent with the approach taken in other jurisdictions where minimum wage is tied to inflation.
As of June 1, an increase of 2.8 per cent will also apply to the live-in camp leader and live-in home support worker minimum daily wages; and resident caretaker minimum monthly wage.
As well, effective Jan. 1, 2023, an increase of 2.8 per cent will apply to minimum piece rates for hand harvesting of 15 specified crops in the agricultural sector: peaches, apricots, Brussels sprouts, daffodils, mushrooms, apples, beans, blueberries, cherries, grapes, pears, peas, prune plums, raspberries, and strawberries.
In 2021, six per cent of employees in B.C. (136,300) earned minimum wage or less. Of those earning minimum wage or less, 52 per cent were over the age of 25 and 58 per cent were women.
For more information, visit the Employment Standards Branch website.
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