B.C.鈥檚 minimum wage is going to creep up 鈥� too quickly to please some and too slowly to please others.
Now we will see whether the opposing predictions of labour and business groups are borne out.
At the recommendation of a special commission, Premier John Horgan announced Thursday that the minimum wage would climb from $11.35 an hour to $15.20 by June 2021. The increases will be $1.30 this year, $1.20 in 2019 and less than a dollar in the following two years.
鈥淲e believe that we have strong economic growth in British Columbia and the commission鈥檚 rationale for front-end loading the increases was because we have a robust economy in British Columbia and the expectation is that鈥檚 going to continue for the next two years,鈥� Horgan said.
Business leaders said the raise is too fast. They have warned since the topic first came up that small businesses in particular are operating on small margins, and cost increases would hurt them. Some might shut down and others might lay off staff.
Poverty advocates and labour leaders said the timeline is too slow, when low-wage workers need help now.
鈥淧overty and inequality are rampant in our province while B.C. is Canada鈥檚 most expensive place to live,鈥� said B.C. Federation of Labour president Irene Lanzinger.
Much is riding on this change. If it doesn鈥檛 ease the plight of low-wage earners, the question of how to make their lives better must still be answered.
