British Columbia (BC) Minimum Wage 2024

A minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay employers can legally pay their employees. In Canada, the minimum wage varies by province and territory, with each jurisdiction setting its own rules and regulations regarding employee compensation. The BC minimum wage in 2024 is $16.75 and is the second highest in the country.

Continue reading to learn about British Columbia minimum wage laws and how they’ve changed over the years.

What Is The British Columbia (BC) Minimum Wage 2024

The current minimum wage rate, implemented on June 1, 2023, is $16.75 per hour. That’s a $1.10 wage increase from last year.

With this extra $1.10, minimum wage workers can expect to earn an extra $2,200 a year. That is assuming you work 40 hours a week for 50 weeks.

Exceptions To The BC Minimum Wage Rate

Minimum wage legislation in British Columbia has provisions to address workers who earn alternate wages. These workers are not subject to the same general minimum wage rules most other workers are – they have special rates due to the nature of their occupations.

What Is The BC Minimum Wage For Federally Regulated Companies?

If you’re a federal worker in BC, you’re entitled to $17.30 per hour starting April 1, 2024. However, if your provincial minimum wage is higher than the federal minimum wage rate, then the higher rate will apply. The federal minimum wage is for workers who are federally regulated by the government, this includes;

• Banks
• Postal workers
• federal Crown corporations

What Is The BC Minimum Wage For Liquor Servers?

Before June 1, 2021, liquor workers were not paid the same as minimum wage workers. Now, workers in this category must be paid at least the minimum wage in BC.

This category of workers includes those who primarily serve food and/or liquor to customers at a premise that holds a liquor license. It doesn’t pertain to hosts/hostesses, bussers, kitchen staff, and staff who only mix or pour liquor. These workers are paid the general minimum wage.

What Is The BC Minimum Wage For Live-In Camp Leaders?

Live-in camp leaders perform tasks related to camping, which include facilitating group activities and supervising campers. They are paid a minimum daily rate, which has increased in the last few years at the same rate as the general minimum wage. Camp leaders must be employed by a charity or non-profit organization that runs camping programs for those under 19 years of age to be eligible for the minimum daily rate. 

Here is how the daily rate has changed over the last several years:

• June 1, 2023 – $133.69 per day
• June 1, 2022 – $125.06 per day
• June 1, 2021 – $121.65 per day

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What Is The BC Minimum Wage For Live-In Home Support Workers?

Live-in-home support workers provide personal care for seniors and people with disabilities. Though these workers can be self-employed, the alternate minimum wage requirements apply only to those who work for a government-funded organization.

By law, live-in support workers must be paid a prescribed minimum daily rate, which is currently $124.73 per day. However, due to the strict criteria to be classified as live-in home support workers, few are eligible for the minimum daily rate. Instead, their occupation is governed by general minimum wage rules.

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What Is The BC Minimum Wage For Resident Caretakers?

This worker category refers to individuals who live in an apartment building with eight or more suites and perform janitorial, caretaking, or management duties on the premises. Resident caretakers have a unique minimum wage that’s calculated monthly and is based on the number of suites in the building. 

Here is how the minimum wage has changed for resident caretakers over the years:

• June 1, 2023 – $1,002.53 per month for buildings with 9 – 60 units $40.17 per suite or $3,414.85 for buildings with more than 60 suites.

For further information about alternate minimum wage rules, visit the Government of British Columbia website.

Statutory Holiday Pay

If you work on a statutory holiday, you’re entitled to statutory holiday pay (provided you qualify). Here is the formula for calculating your statutory holiday pay:

Total wages/number of days worked (use only the last 30 calendar days before the statutory holiday) = statutory holiday pay

When calculating your statutory holiday pay, ensure you include your total compensation, including wages, salary, commission, holiday pay, and vacation pay. Exclude overtime.

Here are the rules that pertain to work done on statutory holidays:

• Your employer must pay you time-and-a-half or all hours you work on a statutory holiday and double-time for every hour worked over 12 hours.
• If you don’t qualify for statutory holiday pay, your employer must pay you your regular hourly rate
• Your employer must pay you statutory holiday pay for a day off that coincides with a statutory holiday.

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BC Minimum Wage And Hours Worked

Your employer must schedule you to work a minimum of two hours each workday. They are required to compensate you for at least two hours’ worth of work when you show up for your regular shift, even when there’s no work to be done.

Your employer can request that you work overtime. The standard work hours in British Columbia are eight hours per day and 40 hours per week. If you work more than eight hours in a day or more than 40 hours in a week, labour rules dictate that your employer must pay you time-and-a-half for the extra hours. If you work for more than 12 hours in a single day, you’re entitled to double-time pay.

Minimum Wage Deductions In British Columbia

Your employer can deduct money from your wages if they are legally obligated to do so or if you’ve entered into an agreement with them where you approve the deduction.

Mandatory deductions include:

• Federal income tax
• Employment insurance (EI)
• Canada Pension Plan Contributions (CPP)
• Court-ordered wage garnishments

If you agree in writing, your employer can also deduct the following:

• Medical premiums
• Repayment of advances
• Purchases you made from your employer.
• Overpayments 

Additional Reading

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Final Thoughts

Minimum wage rates in British Columbia have increased dramatically over the last several years, as fair wages and rising living costs continue to be top concerns for voters. Should living standards and employment prospects for British Columbia residents deteriorate in the future, we’ll undoubtedly see further increases in the minimum wage. Though some would argue that the minimum wage hurts business, it’s clear that most people’s living standards have increased due to this critical piece of legislation. Minimum wage laws are here to stay. 

British Columbia Minimum Wage FAQs

Sources

• https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/employment-standards-advice/employment-standards/wages/minimum-wage
• https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023LBR0023-000824
• https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/minimum-wage-increase-1.6861217