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

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.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Canada invests $72 million in satellite constellation to monitor active wildfires

Canada is investing $72 million on a novel satellite constellation that will monitor active forest fires across the country. Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault made the announcement today at the Canadian Space Agency headquarters south of Montreal.

Canada invests $72 million in satellite constellation to monitor active wildfires

Three men in Quebec accused of smuggling people from the U.S. into Canada

The RCMP say three men in Quebec have been charged for helping to smuggle people into Canada from the United States. During two separate events last year, the three men were intercepted in vehicles near the U.S. border in the Montérégie region southwest of Montreal, allegedly waiting to pick up people who had crossed into Canada illegally.

Three men in Quebec accused of smuggling people from the U.S. into Canada

Health care, tax cuts and Highway 401 tunnel focus of Ontario campaign trail

Health care, tax cuts and a pledge to build a tunnel under Highway 401 are the focus on the Ontario campaign trail today. NDP Leader Marit Stiles has pledged to connect every Ontarian to a family doctor or nurse practitioner at a cost of more than $4 billion.

Health care, tax cuts and Highway 401 tunnel focus of Ontario campaign trail

Liberal leadership candidates will have to clear $125,000 hurdle today

Federal Liberal leadership candidates will have to cross another hurdle today to remain in the race — a payment of $125,000 to the party. The party requires candidates to pay a total entrance fee of $350,000 in instalments.

Liberal leadership candidates will have to clear $125,000 hurdle today

Canada adds 76,000 jobs in January as unemployment rate falls to 6.6%

Canada's unemployment rate ticked down in January as the labour market added 76,000 jobs, beating economist expectations for the month. The jobless rate ticked down 0.1 percentage points to 6.6 per cent, marking the second straight monthly decline after peaking at 6.9 per cent in November, Statistics Canada reported on Friday.

Canada adds 76,000 jobs in January as unemployment rate falls to 6.6%

Trudeau tells economic summit Trump is serious about taking over Canada

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Donald Trump is not joking when he says he'd like to make Canada the 51st state, and the U.S. president's desire to annex this country is related to its supply of critical minerals. Trudeau made the remarks to more than 100 business, labour and industry leaders who were invited to an economic summit today in Toronto.