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Minimum wage increases go into effect June 1 across B.C.

Wage hike includes liquor servers and resident caretakers
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The general minimum wage in B.C. increases $1.30 an hour to $12.65.

B.C.’s minimum wage goes up by $1.30 today.

The new wage – from $11.35/hour to $12.65/hour – is a result of the recommendations made by the independent Fair Wages Commission. The commission, created in October 2017, was tasked with advising the government on raising the province’s minimum wage.

Here’s what you need to know:

*General minimum wage increases 11.5 per cent to $12.65 per hour, an increase of $1.30 per hour.

*Liquor server minimum wage increases 12.9 per cent to $11.40 per hour, an increase of $1.30 per hour.

*Resident caretaker minimum wage, per month, will increase 11.5 per cent to $759.32 for those that manage from nine to 60 units (plus $30.43 per unit), or $2,586.40, for 61 or more units.

*Live-in camp leader minimum wage, per day, will increase 11.5 per cent to $101.24.

*Live-in home support worker, alternate minimum wage, will be eliminated. For any workers remaining in this category, the general minimum wage will apply for all hours worked.

These increases are the first of four annual increases, which will take effect June 1 of each year.

Farm workers paid by piece rate will see a bump in pay, too, on Jan. 1, 2019. They’ll see an 11.5 per cent increase to all minimum piece raters, “with further study to take place in the meantime, in order to better balance the needs of workers and the agricultural industry,” notes a government press release.

B.C.’s minimum wage will rise to $15.20/hour by June 2021. The province plans to also eliminate the separate lower liquor server wage.