Can B.C. raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour?

Dec 19 2017, 8:55 pm

The B.C. Federation of Labour thinks so. Beginning Tuesday at noon, they will be kicking off the Fight for 15 Campaign to urge the B.C. government to raise the minimum wage from $10.25 an hour to $15 an hour.

Citing $10.25 as one of the lowest minimum wages in Canada, the B.C. Federation of Labour is addressing income inequality in this province and asking the provincial government to raise those making minimum wage and working full-time above the poverty level.

“Fifteen dollars per hour would put a minimum wage worker above the poverty line on all the standard measures of poverty (Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), Low Income Measure and Market Basket) using a 35-hour work week and a projected inflation rate of 2 per cent per year,” the BCFED states on their website.

The campaign also suggests mandating one minimum wage for all industries, where currently servers of alcohol are only entitled to a minimum of $9 an hour and farmers are paid depending on how much they pick.

According to Statistics Canada, B.C. has the highest cost of living in the country, yet B.C.’s minimum wage is only the eighth highest, ahead of New Brunswick, Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories.

Premier Christy Clark is concerned raising the minimum wage further could affect job creation. Clark was the first premier in 10 years to raise the minimum wage from $8 to $10.25 an hour in 2012.

Minimum wages across Canada

  1. Ontario: $11.00
  2. Nunavut: $11.00
  3. Yukon: $10.72
  4. Manitoba: $10.45
  5. Nova Scotia: $10.40
  6. Quebec: $10.35
  7. Prince Edward Island: $10.35
  8. Newfoundland & Labrador: $10.25
  9. British Columbia: $10.25
  10. Alberta: $10.20
  11. Saskatchewan: $10.20
  12. Northwest Territories: $10.00
  13. New Brunswick: $10.00

 

Featured Image: Canadian dollar via Shutterstock

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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