About 400,000 people will get a raise on June 1st. Minimum wage will go up from from $14.60 an hour to $15.20.
The increase is part of a promise the BC NDP made when they ran in 2017. They promised to raise minimum wage to at least $15.00 by 2021.
In 2017, BC had one of the lowest minimum wages in the country, but it was one of the most expensive provinces to live in.
Now, the only place in Canada with a higher minimum wage is Nunavut.
People who work minimum wage jobs are usually women, immigrants, and young people. The raise helps folks make enough money to live on.
COVID-19 really highlighted how important minimum-wage workers are. They work in retail, grocery stores, and restaurant kitchens, and have been working with the public while many people could work from home.
