Thursday, July 2, 2026
ADVT 
National

B.C. minimum wage increases by 45 cents per hour starting June 1

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 14 Feb, 2025 12:43 PM
  • B.C. minimum wage increases by 45 cents per hour starting June 1

The British Columbia government says the province's lowest-paid workers are getting a wage boost to keep pace with inflation.

The Ministry of Labour says the minimum wage will increase from $17.40 to $17.85 per hour starting in June.

It says the 2.6 per cent increase follows changes made last spring to the Employment Standards Act, which mandated yearly wage rises.

Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside says those adjustments were made last year because minimum-wage workers are most vulnerable to jumps in prices for living expenses like groceries, rent and gas.

The province says the changes align with government priorities to help lift more people out of poverty, make life more affordable, and build a strong and fair economy for B.C.

It says minimum wage rates increase on June 1 each year, except for the minimum agricultural piece rates that increase on Dec. 31 to ensure crop producers will not have to adjust wages in the middle of the harvesting season.

MORE National ARTICLES

Okanagan wildfire prompts evacuation orders, expands alerts

Okanagan wildfire prompts evacuation orders, expands alerts
Evacuation orders and alerts have been issued in British Columbia's North Okanagan as a nearby wildfire burns out of control, nearly doubling in size since Tuesday. Tracy Hughes, communications co-ordinator for the Columbia Shuswap Regional District says 17 properties in the district are on evacuation order, while alerts were also expanded to 25 more properties, bringing the total in the region to 69.

Okanagan wildfire prompts evacuation orders, expands alerts

U-Haul driver crashes into pole

U-Haul driver crashes into pole
Police say the driver of a U-Haul truck has been fined after losing control and crashing into a power pole in Greater Victoria yesterday. West Shore R-C-M-P say it happened along Island Highway and caused a temporary power outage for "many" homes in the View Royal area.

U-Haul driver crashes into pole

Many more dentists on board to provide care under dental-care program: Holland

Many more dentists on board to provide care under dental-care program: Holland
Health Minister Mark Holland says he has seen a large jump in the number of dentists who have agreed to provide care under the new dental-care program. The government began accepting claims for dental services for seniors enrolled in the program in May, and has since expanded eligibility to qualifying children under the age of 18 and people with a disability tax credit.

Many more dentists on board to provide care under dental-care program: Holland

Listeria contamination of plant milks happened in Pickering, Ont. facility, CFIA says

Listeria contamination of plant milks happened in Pickering, Ont. facility, CFIA says
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says the recent Listeria contamination of several plant-based milks occurred in a Pickering, Ont., factory.  It says the contamination happened on a "dedicated production line" at Joriki, which is a third-party beverage packaging facility used by plant-milk manufacturer Danone Canada.

Listeria contamination of plant milks happened in Pickering, Ont. facility, CFIA says

Rinse and repeat: Calgarians back to water restrictions as new pipe problems found

Rinse and repeat: Calgarians back to water restrictions as new pipe problems found
Residents in Calgary and surrounding communities, fresh off having to conserve water for weeks due to a water main break, are soon going to have to do it all over again. Mayor Jyoti Gondek announced Wednesday extended tests on more than 10 kilometres of pipe have revealed 16 more problem spots that need to be fixed.

Rinse and repeat: Calgarians back to water restrictions as new pipe problems found

Boeing will spend $61M in B.C. as part of Canada's military planes contract

Boeing will spend $61M in B.C. as part of Canada's military planes contract
Boeing Canada plans to invest $61 million in British Columbia for an aerospace manufacturing training facility as well as research and development. The announcement is the latest from the American aviation giant as part of a multibillion-dollar deal with Ottawa on the purchase of new military surveillance planes.

Boeing will spend $61M in B.C. as part of Canada's military planes contract