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By Liam Verster

Increase Tied to Inflation

B.C.’s minimum wage going up to $18.25

Feb 26, 2026 | 11:44 AM

Minimum wage workers in British Columbia will see their paycheques increase in the summer.

Effective June 1, 2026, the province’s general minimum wage will go up to $18.25 per hour.

The current minimum wage is $17.85, and that increase of just over 2.1 per cent reflects the province’s average monthly inflation in 2025.

The same 2.1 per cent increase will also be applied to:

• Specialized minimum wages, such as rates for resident caretakers, live-in home-support workers, live-in camp leaders, and piece rate agricultural workers
• Special minimum wage for app-based ride-hailing and delivery-service workers
• Minimum piece rates for hand-harvested crops

Increase Tied to Inflation

B.C.'s minimum wage going up to $18.25

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“Working people in our province are feeling the pressure of inflation,” said Minister of Labour Jennifer Whiteside.

“That’s why we acted to bring in annual minimum-wage increases, which have helped paycheques keep up with increasing costs of essentials like food and transportation. This matters for everyone, and especially for minimum-wage workers, the people doing the jobs so many of us rely on every day.”

B.C.’s minimum wage increases have been tied to inflation since 2024.

Provincial stats show women make up the majority of minimum wage earners in B.C.; many of those who earn the wage are also young adults and racialized workers.

As of February 2026, B.C. had the highest minimum wage of any province, though nationally, Nunavut had the highest rate at $19.75, while Alberta had the lowest at $15 per hour.

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