On April 5, 2023, Labour Minister Harry Bains announced that the minimum wage will be increasing in B.C. from $15.65 to $16.75 on June 1, 2023.
The new minimum wage will increase by 6.9%, which is based on B.C.'s average annual inflation rate in 2022.
The 6.9% increase will also apply to wages for residential workers, live-in home support workers and camp leaders. In addition, piece rates for farm workers who hand-harvest 15 specific crops will also increase by 6.9%, effective January 1, 2024.
Once the minimum wage increase takes effect on June 1, 2023, B.C. will have the second highest minimum wage in Canada, trailing only Yukon, which has a minimum wage of $16.77.
The federal minimum wage rate for federally regulated employees also recently increased to $16.65 as of April 1, 2023. It is important to note that for federally regulated employers who have employees that are usually employed in B.C., they must pay the higher of the federal or the provincial minimum wage rate. Therefore, federally regulated employers with employees in B.C. can continue to pay their employees the federal minimum wage rate of $16.65 until June 1, 2023. Then, as of June 1, 2023, federally regulated employers must pay those employees the B.C. minimum wage rate of $16.75.
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