"Modest" minimum wage hike to be announced by B.C. government

A minimum wage hike is on the way for B.C. and it will come into effect September 15 of this year, according to the provincial government.

An exact dollar amount hasn’t been assigned as of yet, but an announcement is expected later this spring. Minister Responsible for Labour Shirley Bond says the increase will be “modest.”

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“In setting the minimum wage rate, we have always been clear: ‘we want to strike a balance,'” said Bond in a statement. “The balance is between making sure all British Columbians can share in our province’s success while not impeding businesses’ ability to grow.”

The last minimum wage increase in the province in September 2015 was a 20 cent hike, from $10.25 to $10.45. Modest, indeed; don’t expect an increase to $15 an hour anytime soon.

B.C. currently has the second lowest minimum wage in the entire country, a stark difference from 2001 when the province had the highest nationally. Additionally, the province also has one of the highest costs of living in Canada.

Bond claims increasing the minimum wage will keep it “in line with overall economic growth” in B.C.