The Facts on Wages and Jobs in B.C.

July 11, 2008
Ministry of Labour and Citizens' Services

• The average hourly wage in B.C. in June 2008 was $21.40 — more than 2.5 times the minimum wage and the third-highest in Canada, according to Statistics Canada.
• B.C. youth between the ages of 15 and 24 are making $13.03 per hour on average — 1.5 times the minimum wage. (Statistics Canada – June 2008)
• B.C.’s average hourly wage has increased by more than 18 per cent since 2001, according to Statistics Canada.
• B.C.’s minimum wage is $8 per hour. Minimum wages among the provinces range from $7.75 to $8.75 per hour.
• Job creation in B.C. is at a record high with more than 430,000 new jobs created since 2001, a job growth rate second only to Alberta. Of those jobs, 88 per cent are full-time. (Statistics Canada)
• The unemployment rate in B.C. was 4.5 per cent in June 2008.
• The annual average unemployment rate in B.C. for 2007 was 4.2 per cent, compared to 7.7 per cent in 2001. (Statistics Canada)
• The youth unemployment rate in June 2008 was at 7.8 per cent compared to 13.9 percent in 2001.