The province’s general minimum wage is set to increase by more than 50 cents per hour on June 1.
On Monday, the Ministry of Labour said the 3.9% increase was consistent with BC’s average rate of inflation last year.
That means the minimum wage will go from $16.75 to $17.40.
“BC 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 BC’s lowest-paid workers from falling behind,” said Harry Bains, Minister of Labour.
“And today, we are enshrining that commitment into law.”
Residential caretakers, live-in home-support workers and camp leaders will receive the same 3.9% increase.
The only exception is for agricultural piece rates, which 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.
The minimum piece rate will apply to 15 hand-harvested crops.
According to the Ministry of Labour, future increases to all minimum rates will automatically be determined by the previous year’s average inflation rate.
Last year, the minimum wage increased by 6.9%, however, people were critical that it did not address the gap between living wages.
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