Lower workers in the province will soon see more money on their paychecks as British Columbia’s minimum wage rises again.
The minimum wage changes on Wednesday in a scheduled and previously announced increase to $ 15.65 an hour.
Workers used to be paid $ 15.20.
This is the highest minimum wage in any Canadian province, the NDP government said in a press release reminding workers of the increase.
And it’s part of a five-year plan that began in 2018 to raise the salary to $ 15, and beyond.
The increase is linked to BC’s annual inflation rate, which was 2.8% last year, the Labor Ministry said on Tuesday.
A 2.8% increase will also apply to resident workers, such as camp counselors and home support workers who earn minimum daily or monthly wages.
According to provincial data, about six percent of BC’s workforce earned the minimum wage at least last year. That represents about 136,300 people.
And of these, about half were over 25 years old and almost 60% were women.
Although BC’s minimum wage is the highest in all provinces, it is not the highest in the country.
Minimum wage workers in the Yukon earn $ 15.70 an hour, and in Nunavut they earn an hourly rate of $ 16.