Established in October 2017, the Fair Wages Commission is working independently to advise government on how to raise minimum wages with increases that are regular, measured and predictable.

The Commission has been committed to three main tasks :

  1. To develop recommendations for a pathway forward to raise the minimum wage to $15-an-hour and on a process for how the minimum wage should be regularly reviewed and increased once $15-an-hour is achieved.
  2. To consider and make recommendations about other wage rates under the Employment Standards Regulation, for agricultural workers, liquor servers, live-in home support workers, resident caretakers, and live-in camp leaders.
  3. To advise the government on ways to begin to address the discrepancy between the minimum wage and a living wage in our province.

The first stage of the Commission’s consultations occurred in November and December 2017 to inform findings for the first and second reports. The first report was delivered to the Minister of Labour in early 2018 with recommendations about the timing of increases for the general minimum wage.

Recommendations were accepted by government. Read the report with recommendations.

The Commission’s second report was delivered in April 2018 with recommendations on wage increases for alternate minimum wage earners. Read government’s response and read the second report with recommendations. Based on the commission’s second report, UBC agricultre economist Dr. Karen Taylor undertook a study on B.C.’s piece-rate system. To read Dr. Taylor’s Piece Rate Study: exploring the economic impact of the piece rate system in British Columbia, visit: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/121/2019/12/FINAL-Piece-Rate-Study-K-Taylor-Jan-2019-1.pdf

The Commission has gathered input on closing the gap between living wages and the minimum wage in B.C. and is now compiling its report.