At a glance
- The British Columbia Employment Standards Act (ESA) will be updated to annually adjust the minimum wage based on the Consumer Price Index.
- The general minimum wage will rise from CAD16.75 to CAD17.40 per hour from 1 June 2024, a 3.9% increase in line with 2023’s inflation rate.
- The ESA will automatically adjust the minimum wage yearly based on the All-Items Consumer Price Index for British Columbia.
The ESA will soon be amended to provide for an annual adjustment to the minimum wage rate, calculated based on changes in the annual average Consumer Price Index.
The government of British Columbia previously announced that the general minimum wage will be increasing from CAD16.75 to CAD17.40 per hour effective 1 June 2024. This represents a 3.9% increase, consistent with British Columbia’s average rate of inflation in 2023. Moving forward, the ESA will automatically provide for an annual adjustment to the minimum wage equal to the percentage year-over-year change in the All-Items Consumer Price Index for British Columbia.
On 14 March 2024, British Columbia Bill 2, the Employment Standards Amendment Act, 2024 received Royal Assent and will come into force by regulation of the Lieutenant Governor in Council. Bill 2 amends the ESA to automatically provide for such future annual adjustments to all minimum wage rates on 1 June each year. An adjustment to the minimum wage rate will be made only when, based on the percentage change in the All-Items Consumer Price Index for British Columbia, there should be an increase to the minimum wage.
The British Columbia Ministry of Labour will publish the adjusted minimum wage rates each year on a publicly accessible website.
