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Minimum rates increased for hand-harvest farm workers
The minimum piece rates for hand harvesting of specified farm crops increased by 2.6% on Dec. 31, 2025.
The increase applies to 15 agricultural crops harvested by hand, as specified in the Employment Standards Regulation. The hand-harvested crops are peaches, apricots, brussels sprouts, daffodils, mushrooms, apples, beans, blueberries, cherries, grapes, pears, peas, prune plums, raspberries and strawberries.
This is an annual increase based on B.C.’s average annual inflation rate in 2024 and is consistent with the 2.6% increase to the general minimum hourly wage that came into effect June 1, 2025.
After legislative changes were made to the Employment Standards Act in spring 2025, increases to the general minimum wage for piece rates will come into effect each year on Dec. 31, based on the previous year’s average inflation rate, the Ministry of Labour explained in a media release.
Each of the 15 hand-harvested crops has its own minimum pay rate.
Farm-worker piece rates in B.C. were increased by 11.5% in January 2019 and 6.9% in December 2024.
B.C.’s farm-worker minimum piece-rate system has been in place since 1981.
e-KNOW file photo
