Sunday, December 21, 2025
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

Mark Carney set to launch Liberal leadership bid Thursday in Edmonton

Mark Carney set to launch Liberal leadership bid Thursday in Edmonton
Former central banker Mark Carney will launch his bid to lead the Liberal party in Edmonton on Thursday, says a news release from Calgary Liberal MP George Chahal. In a note to supporters inviting them to attend the event, Chahal describes Carney as "not a career politician."

Mark Carney set to launch Liberal leadership bid Thursday in Edmonton

Average down payments for young homebuyers have skyrocketed 37%: VanCity

Average down payments for young homebuyers have skyrocketed 37%: VanCity
A report from credit union Vancity says average down payments for young homebuyers have skyrocketed 37 per cent since 2018. Vancity Economy and Impact report says average down payments made by buyers between 19 and 42 years old was just over 287-thousand dollars in 2024.

Average down payments for young homebuyers have skyrocketed 37%: VanCity

One person injured in a mobile home fire

One person injured in a mobile home fire
One person suffered minor injuries in a mobile home fire in Prince George on Monday morning. The fire rescue team responded to the blaze shortly before 11 a-m in the 5100 block of North Nechako Road and found a mobile home with moderate smoke coming from the structure.

One person injured in a mobile home fire

Ford praises federal border plan ahead of meeting with prime minister, premiers

Ford praises federal border plan ahead of meeting with prime minister, premiers
Trump has threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Canada. The U.S. president-elect initially said that the tariff would be in response to what he called Canada's inaction on drugs and migrants crossing the shared border.

Ford praises federal border plan ahead of meeting with prime minister, premiers

Class-action lawsuit accuses Loblaws, Walmart and Sobeys of underweight meat sales

Class-action lawsuit accuses Loblaws, Walmart and Sobeys of underweight meat sales
Lead plaintiff Carrie Corrall says in a Federal Court lawsuit filed in Vancouver on Jan. 9 that she's a B.C. mother that regularly spends "hundreds or thousands of dollars" each year on meat products. 

Class-action lawsuit accuses Loblaws, Walmart and Sobeys of underweight meat sales

Canada’s health-care system falls behind most peer countries: Report

Canada’s health-care system falls behind most peer countries: Report
A new report says Canada’s health-care system has fallen behind international peers in access to care, equity and wait times, outperforming only the United States. The not-for-profit think tank C.D. Howe Institute says Canada ranks ninth out of 10 countries evaluated, including the Netherlands and United Kingdom, who were top performers.

Canada’s health-care system falls behind most peer countries: Report