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Minimum wage increasing to $15.65 June 1
With gas prices soaring to new heights and inflation growing amid the lingering pandemic and war raging in Ukraine, the lowest earning British Columbians will receive a 40 cent an hour raise in late spring.
The Ministry of Labour today announced the general minimum wage will be increasing from $15.20 to $15.65 an hour on June 1. The increase will amount to $16 over a 40-hour work week.
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 Ministry of Labour stated.
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 Harry Bains, Minister of Labour. “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.”
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% 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% 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% will apply to minimum piece rates for hand harvesting of 15 specified crops in the agricultural sector, including: 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.
In 2021, 52% of employees earning minimum wage or less were over the age of 25 and 58% were women.
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