(TRI-CITIES) April 5, 2023 — The BC Government announced today a 6.9% increase to the minimum wage effective June 1 this year. Minimum wage will rise from $15.65 to $16.75 per hour, keeping pace with the rate of inflation.
"While our Chamber understands the need to increase the wage of the lowest paid workers in our communities to help with the rising cost of living, this is yet again another increase to the cost of doing business. And it comes at a time when many businesses are struggling to survive and recover in these challenging economic times," said Leslie Courchesne, CEO of the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce. "And the change will hit many of our small and medium sized businesses hard, with less than two months notice to plan and implement this pay hike."
"The BC Chamber of Commerce is extremely disappointed with the government’s decision to increase the minimum wage by such a significant amount. This decision is the wrong choice, at the wrong time," said Fiona Famulak, President and CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce.
"The increase comes on the heels of several government decisions in the last 14 months that have added significantly to the cost of doing business in British Columbia, for example, through the introduction of the mandatory five days paid sick leave and the recently announced new statutory holiday. Today’s announcement will make it difficult for many businesses to manage their operations moving forward and is a disincentive to (re)invest in our province.
"We believe the health of a community is a direct function of the health of the businesses that operate within it. Today’s announcement only adds to the urgency we see for government to take meaningful actions that support businesses so they can create jobs, hire workers, contribute to community growth and drive economic sustainability and prosperity," Famulak added.
The Government of Canada also recently announced an increase to the minimum wage for federally regulated employees from $15.55 to $16.65.
For more information about BC's minimum wage, visit this BC Government webpage.
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Since 1971, the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce has been the largest business association serving Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore, and Belcarra, now representing 1,000+ organizations from every sector. The Chamber works to foster economic development, provide connections and benefits, and influence public policy at all levels of government to ensure strong business and strong communities. The Tri-Cities Chamber is an active member of the BC and Canadian Chambers of Commerce.
For more information, contact:
Leslie Courchesne, Chief Executive Officer
Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce
ceo@tricitieschamber.com
604.468.6870