On June 1, the province’s minimum wage will be raised from $15.65 to $16.75 an hour.
“Having a minimum wage that keeps up with inflation is a key step to prevent the lowest paid workers from falling behind,” said Harry Bains, Minister of Labour.
“These workers and their families feel the impacts of high costs much more than anyone else. We are maintaining our policy of tying the minimum wage to inflation.”
The 6.9 per cent increase matches B.C.’s average annual inflation rate in 2022.
Provincial officials said they will continue to tie annual minimum wage increases to inflation.
The increase also applies to alternate minimum wage jobs such as residential caretakers, live-in home-support workers and camp leaders.
Piece rates for 15 hand-harvested crops will also increase by 6.9 per cent starting on Jan. 1, 2024.
– with files from Josiah Spyker, My East Kootenay Now staff