Minimum Wage Increasing June 1st, 2022 to $15.65

 

On June 1, 2022, the minimum wage in BC will increase to $15.65 for workers across the province.  Employers should be prepared to adjust their payroll accordingly to ensure they are recognizing the higher minimum wage for work done starting June 1.

This 2.8% increase is due to the minimum wage being tied to inflation going forward.  The Burnaby Board of Trade generally supports using inflation to guide increases as opposed to the fits and starts we have seen over the past decade where some years saw an increase in excess of 11%.

That said, the minimum wage has increased nearly 40% in the past 5 years, representing a direct increase in costs to businesses that pay it, and putting inflationary pressure on labour costs all along the wage scale for even those businesses offering above the minimum wage.   Government must be mindful of the combined impact of their regulatory and taxation decisions on the cost of doing business in Burnaby and across BC.