From first to worst in eight years -- BC $8 minimum wage now tied for lowest in Canada
BC Federation of Labour
April 15, 2009

VANCOUVER - As of today, British Columbia has the lowest minimum wage in Canada.

BC along with Prince Edward Island (PEI) and now New Brunswick (NB), which today increased its minimum wage, all have the lowest minimum wage in the country, $8 an hour.

However, both PEI and NB have increases planned later this year which will leave BC in last place. Due to the higher cost of living, BC has long had the lowest minimum wage in Canada in terms of spending power.

"Gordon Campbell told us he didn't need to increase the minimum wage when the economy was creating jobs," says B.C. Federation of Labour, President Jim Sinclair. "Thousands of people are now losing good paying jobs and finding nothing out there but $8 an hour, but Gordon Campbell still won't increase the minimum wage."

BC's minimum wage was the highest in Canada when Gordon Campbell became Premier in 2001. Frozen for eight years, it is now the lowest in the country.

Approximately 63,000 people in BC earn the $8 an hour minimum wage while more than 293,000 earn less than $10 an hour. More than 60 percent of these workers are women. More than two thirds of these workers are 20 years or older.

"Gordon Campbell has handed out massive pay increases to himself and senior bureaucrats but has ignored the plight of the lowest-paid workers in the province for eight years," Sinclair added. "By refusing to increase the minimum wage, Campbell is ignoring the wishes of the vast majority of British Columbians who believe an increase is long overdue."