Minimum wage increases to $17.40 an hour on June 1

B.C.’s lowest-paid workers will get a pay raise when the general minimum wage increases from $16.75 to $17.40 per hour on June 1, 2024.

This represents a 3.9% increase, consistent with B.C.’s average rate of inflation in 2023.

The alternate minimum rates, for residential caretakers, live-in home-support workers and camp leaders, will receive the same 3.9% increase on June 1. On Dec. 31, 2024, the minimum piece rates for 15 hand-harvested crops will also increase by the same percentage.

“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.”

With the amendments in Bill 2, future increases to all minimum rates will be automatically determined by the previous year’s average inflation rate for B.C. This will provide certainty and predictability for workers and employers. Minimum-wage earners will be able to count on increases every year.

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.

“As a fast-food worker earning minimum wage, I welcome the government’s rule to increase wages with inflation annually, providing much-needed financial stability to cope with the rising cost of living,” said Carmen Velasco in Richmond.

The changes align with government priorities to help lift more people out of poverty, make life more affordable and build a strong and fair economy for B.C.

Quick Facts:

• In 2023, B.C. increased the minimum wage by 6.9%, which was the increase in the cost of living in the province in 2022.
• At least eight other Canadian jurisdictions also base their minimum-wage increases on annual changes to the rate of inflation determined by the Consumer Price Index.

Learn More:

For more information about B.C.’s minimum wage, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/employment-standards-advice/employment-standards/wages/minimum-wage

For more information about TogetherBC, B.C.’s poverty-reduction strategy, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/initiatives-plans-strategies/poverty-reduction-strategy/togetherbc.pdf

To see minimum wages across Canada as of Feb. 21, 2024, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Minimum_Wages_In_Canada.pdf

For more information about B.C. legislation, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/Legislation

A backgrounder follows.