Is there a bump coming to BC Minimum Wage?
By Nelson Daily Staff
BC Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour Shirley Bond said in a media statement the province is “reviewing the minimum wage increase to keep it in line with overall economic growth.”
“We expect to announce a minimum wage increase this spring, with the new rate coming into effect Sept. 15, 2016,” Bond added in the release.
B.C. is poised to raise the minimum wage this fall, which could keep the province from becoming the lowest-paying region in the country.
Bond’s announcement comes just days before New Brunswick is increasing its minimum wage to $10.65 an hour.
Currently minimum wage in BC is $10.45 per hour, which is the second-lowest in the country.
The wage in BC is lower for liquor servers at $9.20 per hour. The reason is the government says their wage is supplemented by tips.
The BC Federation of Labour is has been lobbying for an increase to the wage to $15 per hour.
The BC Fed argues a province as wealthy as ours, it is simply unacceptable that the government has set a minimum wage that entrenches thousands of people to a life of poverty.
To reach the mid-point of Canadian provinces, Bond’s government would have to raise its rate to at least $10.75.
“The scheduled increase, based on this year’s B.C. CPI, does not reflect the economic circumstances of the province,” Bond said.
“In setting the minimum wage rate, we have always been clear: ‘we want to strike a balance.’
“The balance is between making sure all British Columbians can share in our province’s success while not impeding businesses’ ability to grow.”
