B.C.’s minimum wage will increase by 65 cents per hour, from $16.75 to $17.40 on June 1.
This represents a 3.9 per cent boost, which provincial officials said is consistent with B.C.’s average inflation rate in 2023.
Alternate minimum rates for residential caretakers, live-in home-support workers and camp leaders will also get the same 3.9 per cent raise.
“B.C. has gone from having one of the lowest minimum wages in the country to the highest of all the provinces. We made a commitment to tie minimum-wage increases to the rate of inflation to prevent B.C.’s lowest-paid workers from falling behind,” said Harry Bains, Minister of Labour. “And today, we are enshrining that commitment into law.”
B.C. government officials said future increases to minimum rates will be determined by the previous year’s average inflation rate.
“This will provide certainty and predictability for workers and employers. Minimum-wage earners will be able to count on increases every year,” said B.C> officials. “Most wage rates will increase on June 1 of each year, except for agricultural piece rates that will increase on Dec. 31 of each year to ensure crop producers will not have to adjust wages in the middle of the harvesting season.”