British Columbia NDP's Crawl to $15

Details: Published on Monday, 21 August 2017 07:15; Written by editor

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A Socialist Project e-bulletin .... No. 1471 .... August 21, 2017
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British Columbia NDP’s Crawl to $15

David Bush

Last Tuesday the new British Columbia NDP government announced it was raising the province’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2021. The new government had already announced it would raise the minimum wage by 50 cents on September 15, bringing it to $11.35 an hour. In fact, this 50 cent raise had been planned by the previous Liberal government.

The announcement makes British Columbia the third province to bring in a $15 minimum wage. This is undoubtedly a win for the larger Fight for $15 movement in Canada and the United States.

However, the four-year phase-in to $15 is the longest pathway so far in Canada. The Alberta NDP, the first to bring in... a plan for $15, is doing it within 24 months. The Ontario Liberals are aiming to do it in 18 months, with the bulk of the raise coming within six months.

The BC NDP’s extremely slow rollout of the minimum wage increase leaves much to be desired. There has been no outline of scheduled increases to $15, simply an announcement that a "Fair Wages Commission" would consult "stakeholders" about a timeline. They are also planning on keeping the liquor server exemption to the minimum wage. It currently stands at $9.60, but will be raised by 50 cents to $10.10 an hour on September 15, still well below the general minimum wage.