Victoria -FEBRUARY 8, 2018 UPDATE – Premier John Horgan announced on Thursday that the BC minimum wage will have another incremental increase June 1st to $12.65 a hour, en route to $15.20 an hour by 2021.
The Province is endorsing the recommendations of the Fair Wages Commission.
The plan to reach $15 an hour provides for an immediate increase of $1.30 an hour on June 1, 2018, to a new minimum wage of $12.65 an hour. Additional increases will take place on June 1 of each year for three more years. By June 2021, B.C.’s minimum wage will rise to at least $15.20 an hour.
The next wage increase, on June 1, 2018, will benefit 94,000 minimum-wage earners, while increasing the minimum wage to over $15 an hour on June 1, 2021, will benefit 400,000 workers throughout the province. The commission’s scaled approach will allow businesses and employers to plan for predictable and stable increases to wages over time.
The Fair Wages Commission was established in October 2017 as an arm’s-length government body to help guide public engagement on how B.C. should achieve a $15-an-hour minimum wage, and also the timeline for implementation. In a report delivered to government in January 2018, following public consultations and receipt of research and submissions, the commission recommended four minimum wage increases over four years.
The Fair Wages Commission recommended the following schedule of increases:
- June 1, 2018: $12.65 an hour ($1.30 increase)
- June 1, 2019: $13.85 ($1.20 increase)
- June 1, 2020: $14.60 ($0.75 increase)
- June 1, 2021: $15.20 ($0.60 increase)
Depending on economic conditions, the commission recommended that government consider of an additional hourly increase of up to $.20, to $15.40 an hour in 2021.
The Fair Wages Commission report with recommendations can be found here: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/237/2018/02/Report-1_BC-Fair-Wages-Commission_Jan-2018.pdf
ORIGINAL STORY SEPTEMBER 15, 2017 – The minimum was will rise by 50 cents on September 15 with the goal of an eventual $15/hour minimum wage.
This coming increase was not new. It was announced by the previous Liberal government under then Premier Christy Clark prior to the May election. The Order in Council merely puts the change into law.
Small businesses remain concerned that any increase will hurt their bottom line.
From the Government media release:
The provincial government is making its first move toward a $15-an-hour minimum wage for British Columbia by announcing a 50-cent increase for September and renewing its commitment to a fair wages commission.
In making the announcement, Premier John Horgan said moving over time to a $15 minimum wage is long overdue in making life more affordable for British Columbians.
“British Columbia’s lowest-paid workers need a raise,” Premier Horgan said. “The action we’re taking will make life better for working parents, seniors, new Canadians, students and more — these are people struggling to get by.”
Effective September 15, minimum-wage earners will see their pay increase to $11.35 per hour from $10.85 per hour, giving B.C. the third-highest minimum wage among Canada’s provinces — up from seventh position.
