The minimum wage in BC will rise from $17.85 to $18.25 per hour starting June 1, 2026. This will result in BC having the second highest minimum wage in Canada – with the other provinces and territories ranging between Nunavut at $19.75 to Alberta at $15. The median minimum wage across Canada is $16.50.
Since 2017, B.C. has made regular, gradual increases to the minimum wage to give workers certainty and to give businesses predictability. In 2024, minimum-wage increases were protected in law, with the amount automatically tied to the previous year’s inflation.
“Working people in our province are feeling the pressure of inflation,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Labour. The minimum wage has increased alongside broader wage growth in the province. Over the past five years, the average hourly wage in B.C. has grown by nearly 26%, increasing from just over $30 an hour to nearly $38.
