The Employment Standards Regulation, B.C. Reg. 396/95, has been amended to reflect changes in various wage rates and ensure that these rates are adjusted annually moving forward. The primary objective of these amendments is to ensure that wage rates keep pace with economic conditions and inflationary trends, providing workers with consistent and fair compensation over time.

Section 16 of the regulation is revised to increase the specified wage rates, with subsection (1) raising the amount from $124.73 to $129.62, and subsection (2) increasing the wage from $133.69 to $138.93. Additionally, a new subsection (3) is added, mandating that minimum wages outlined in this section will be adjusted annually beginning on June 1, 2025, under the provisions of section 16.2 (3) of the Act.

Section 17 also undergoes modifications, starting with the renumbering of the section as 17 (1). Subsection (1) (a) sees an increase in the base wage from $1,002.53 to $1,041.80, with an additional adjustment in the supplementary rate from $40.17 to $41.74. Meanwhile, subsection (1) (b) raises another wage category from $3,414.85 to $3,548.63.

Section 18 introduces a broad set of wage increases across multiple categories, ensuring fair compensation across various employment types. In subsection (1), paragraph (a) increases wages from $23.14 to $24.05, while paragraph (b) raises the amount from $26.63 to $27.67. Several other specific rates also see adjustments, such as paragraph (c), which increases the rate from $0.699 to $0.726, and paragraph (d), which raises another rate from $1.184 to $1.230. Similarly, paragraph (e) increases from $0.487 to $0.506, paragraph (f) from $0.672 to $0.698, and paragraph (g) from $24.60 to $25.56. These wage increases extend to several other categories as well, including paragraph (h), which moves from $0.703 to $0.731, and paragraph (i), which mirrors the increase in paragraph (g) from $24.60 to $25.56. Paragraph (j) adjusts its rate from $26.06 to $27.08, while paragraph (k) increases from $0.873 to $0.907. The pattern continues with paragraph (l) increasing from $26.06 to $27.08, paragraph (m) adjusting from $1.065 to $1.107, and paragraph (n) changing from $1.027 to $1.067.

Further modifications to Section 18 include changes to subsections (1.1) and (1.2). In subsection (1.1), the rate is increased from $0.186 to $0.193, ensuring an incremental rise in compensation. Subsection (1.2) (a) is also updated by replacing the year “2024” with “2025,” which aligns the wage adjustments with the broader implementation timeline of June 1, 2025.

Finally, Section 33 is amended to update its references to other sections of the regulation. The amendment modifies the wording by striking out “Parts 2 and” and replacing it with “Part 2, section 16 and Parts,” ensuring that the relevant wage adjustments are accurately reflected in the regulation. Additionally, the phrase “and Part 4 of this regulation” is removed, to better align with the updated structure of the Employment Standards Regulation.

British Columbia (67/2025) February 18, 2025