B.C.’s minimum wage climbs to $17.40 on Saturday

British Columbia’s minimum wage will climb above $17 per hour on Saturday.

The B.C. government passed legislation in February to automatically increase the minimum wage annually based on the rate of inflation.

The June 1 jump will see the minimum hourly wage increase by 3.9 per cent, going from $16.75 to $17.40 per hour.

2:10 New labour rules for B.C. rideshare and delivery drivers, including a minimum wage

The B.C. government estimates the changes will affect about 240,000 workers.

British Columbia has gone from having the lowest minimum wage in Canada in 2016 to the highest among all provinces.

Along with the hourly wage change on Saturday, the province is also increasing the minimum piece rates for hand-harvested crops listed in the Employment Standards Regulation. Those rates will also climb by 3.9 per cent, effective Dec. 31, 2024.