British Columbia’s minimum wage will increase to $17.85 per hour on June 1, 2025, marking a 45-cent jump from the current rate of $17.40.
The 2.6 per cent increase affects approximately 130,000 workers across the province who earn minimum wage or less, according to Statistics Canada labour-force data from 2024.
The wage increase applies to all minimum-wage categories, including resident caretakers, live-in home-support workers, live-in camp leaders and workers in app-based delivery and ride-hail services.
Automatic increases tied to inflation
The province has tied annual minimum-wage increases to inflation since 2022, providing what officials say is certainty for workers and predictability for businesses. This marks the fourth consecutive year of inflation-based adjustments.
In February 2024, the government amended the Employment Standards Act to make annual increases automatic, based on the previous year’s average inflation rate for B.C.
Agricultural workers see December increase
Minimum agricultural piece rates for hand harvesters will increase by 2.6 per cent on December 31, 2025, rather than June 1. The December timing ensures crop producers avoid mid-season wage adjustments during harvesting periods.
The automatic adjustment system represents a shift from previous years when minimum wage increases required individual government decisions and legislative changes.
