On June 1, 2024, the general minimum wage in British Columbia will rise from $16.75 to $17.40 per hour, marking a 3.9% increase.
This adjustment will also apply to minimum-wage rates for resident caretakers, live-in home-support workers, and live-in camp leaders. About 240,000 workers earning less than $17.40 per hour are expected to benefit from this increase, according the the government.
In addition to the hourly wage increase, minimum piece rates for hand-harvesting of the 15 crops specified in the Employment Standards Regulation will see a similar 3.9% rise on Dec. 31, 2024.
The government has been making regular, gradual increases to the minimum wage to provide certainty for workers and predictability for businesses. This year marks the third consecutive year that the minimum wage adjustment reflects the government’s commitment to tying annual increases to inflation.
In February 2024, an amendment to the Employment Standards Act was enacted, ensuring that future increases to the minimum wage rates will occur automatically based on the previous year’s average inflation rate for British Columbia. This change aims to provide both workers and employers with greater certainty and predictability, allowing minimum-wage earners to anticipate wage adjustments that keep pace with inflation.
