B.C. is one of the top-earning spots in the country, according to the latest labour force survey report from Statistics Canada.
The average hourly wage in the province is $38.60, compared to the national average of $37.06.
According to talent.com, based on a 37.5-hour work week, this is the equivalent of a $75,270 annual salary.
It’s just ahead of Ontario, which had an average hourly wage of $38.32, and Alberta, which was at $37.50. The lowest province was Prince Edward Island, at $31.58
Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth/Supplied
StatsCan released its December 2025 labour force survey report on Friday, showing a snapshot of what the current Canadian labour market looks like.
“In 2025, the labour market faced headwinds, in part due to the economic uncertainty introduced by the threat or imposition of tariffs on exports to the United States,” said StatsCan in the report.
Nationally, the unemployment rate crept up by 0.3 per cent to 6.8 per cent, but held steady in B.C. at 6.4 per cent. Across Canada, there were 1.6 million people unemployed in December.
In 2025, B.C. added 24,100 jobs, but saw a slight dip of 3,300 in December.
“Over the course of the past year, B.C. added 24,100 jobs overall, including an increase of 16,800 jobs in construction. This reflects our government’s commitment to building the schools, hospitals and transportation infrastructure that British Columbians rely on,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests, in a release.
In May, the provincial government introduced new legislation aimed at accelerating the construction of major infrastructure projects. Specific provisions under the new legislation include fast-tracked approvals for schools, hospitals, and other provincially designated projects.
But B.C. is also one of the most expensive provinces to live in, according to a report StatsCan published last summer.
Based on 2021 data, StatsCan found that B.C. is tied with Ontario and Alberta as the most expensive province.
“The standard of living from earning $75,000 in one province or territory is not the same as earning that amount in another province or territory if the cost of living differs in each location,” said StatCan in a release.