By Tanya Cronin

BC minimum wage could increase

Mar 29, 2016 | 4:31 PM

KAMLOOPS — The BC government is considering an increase to the province’s minimum wage, but its treading lightly in its research.

At $10.45 BC will have the lowest minimum wage in the country by April 1st, with the one of the highest costs of living. Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Terry Lake says the government believes increasing the minimum wage slowly, is preferable to leaving it stagnant for several years, before instituting a big hike. 

“BC is leading the country economically, so we’re consulting with business and the public about whether we go with just a normal cost of living increase in the minimum wage or whether we do a bit of an adjustment to recognize the fact that our economy is doing very well, and how do we want to position ourselves in relation to other provinces,” says BC Health Minister, Terry Lake.

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Lake says studies show increasing the minimum wage too drastically can result in people losing jobs, and the province doesn’t want to see that.