Workers across BC getting much needed pay boost thanks to Living Wage employers!

Over 100 employers, including municipalities, small businesses and non-profits across BC have committed to pay their staff and contracted workers the new living wage by recertifying as Living Wage employers. Thanks to their leadership, more than 500 workers have already received a pay increase this year.

In November, CCPA-BC and Living Wage for Families BC, published Living Wage rates for communities across BC. The living wage increased significantly everywhere because of the rising cost of food and rent, the two biggest essentials in a family budget. The Living Wage for Metro-Vancouver is now $24.08 an hour and the Living Wage for Greater Victoria is $24.29 an hour.

“By becoming a living wage employer, cities have an opportunity to demonstrate real leadership and action that improves the quality of life of working people. We want a community that sees that rising and shared prosperity for everyone so that we can all meet the basic needs of life. I’m proud that Port Coquitlam is showing leadership in this regard and invite other cities to join us.” Brad West, Mayor, City of Port Coquitlam

Existing Living Wage Employers have until May to bring their staff up to the new Living Wage and to recertify. The living wage can be made up of base wage and other benefits they offer.The Cities of Port Coquitlam, Quesnel and Victoria are amongst the municipalities to work ahead of schedule and already lift the wages of staff and recertify as a Living Wage Employer.

“The rising cost of living reflects the importance of why paying a Living Wage is so important at this time, and we're grateful for all of the employers across BC who have stepped up and are paying a Living Wage to their staff. However, we know that the increase this year is substantial and may be a challenge for some employers to implement, and we want to work with them to help lift the wages of their lowest paid staff" said Anastasia French, Provincial Manager for Living Wage for Families BC.

Employers have found paying a living wage to be a key tool in their post-Covid economic recovery. 97% of Living Wage Employers in BC have found a benefit to being part of the program. Paying a Living Wage is good for workers, employers and the local community.

“With the ever-growing cost of living in BC and a labour shortage to boot, it’s more important than ever to compensate our teams accordingly. We are delighted to recertify as a BC Living Wage Employer” said Melissa Whitley from Vancouver Premier Contracting & Eco Property Maintenance, a property maintenance and contracting firm from North Vancouver that employs 20 staff.

Certifying as a Living Wage Employer is a voluntary commitment employers make to invest in their communities and local economies.

List of Recertified Living Wage Employers:
221A Artist Run Centre Society
Allevato Quail & Roy
ASPECT BC
Bakau Consulting Inc.
Bardel Entertainment Inc
Bath Investments Ltd.
BC Food & Beverage
BC Society of Landscape Architects
BCDHA/CDA Alliance
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Fraser Valley
Blue Lime Property Maintenance Ltd.
Brightside Community Homes Foundation
British Columbia Civil Liberties Association
British Columbia Non-Profit housing Association
British Columbia Teachers' Federation
Burrard Podiatry
Café Etico Inc.
Capilano Students' Union
Carscadden Stokes McDonald Architects
Catalyst Community Development Society
City of Port Coquitlam
City of Quesnel
City of Victoria
CityState Consulting Group
Close to Home Organics Ltd.
Coast Consignment
CoDevelopment Canada Association
Community Futures Boundary
Community Social Planning Council
CommunityPlus Care Ltd
Comox Valley Senior Support
Continuum Architecture Inc.
Craine Projects Ltd.
CTRS Solutions Limited
CUFA BC
CUPE BC
Demolition Impossible Contracting Inc.
Design Therapy Inc
Discovery Inspections & Drain Doctors
Dogwood
Drawing Change
Elemental Gardens
ETHOS Career Management Group Ltd.
Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC
Froggy Pad Group Daycare
Glen Valley Organic Farm
Gnome and Gardens Organic Landcare
Goodbye Graffiti Vancouver
Grand Forks and District Public Library
Green Island Builders
Hakai Energy Solutions Inc
Hastings Labour Law Office LLP
Heart Lake Farm
Home Spritz Inc.
hua foundation
Huberman Law Group
Inform Planning
Insight Specialty Consulting
ISL Engineering and Land Services
Jenkins Construction Ltd.
Jillian Harris Design Inc
Judy Stoyko Landscape Architecture
Just Mechanical Ltd
Khora Architecture + Interiors
Kinsol Timber Systems LTD.
LADR Landscape Architects Inc.
Langara Faculty Association
Local Practice Architecture + Design Ltd.
Long Life Windows & Doors Ltd.
Lover's Tempo Design Inc
Meadow Montessori School
Metric Strategies
MidSea Engineering Ltd.
Mission Community Skills Centre
Modern PURAIR Greater Vancouver
MODUS Planning, Design & Engagement Inc.
Music on Main Society
Mustang Landscape & Design Ltd.
Naturally Urban · Pet Store · To Your Dog
Nickel Plate Nordic Centre
Nikkei Ramen-ya
Osoyoos Credit Union
P.S. Pianos
Pacific Community Resources Society
Pacific Mattress Recycling Inc.
PARC Communities Management Ltd.
Parent Support Services Society
Perkins & Will
PFS Studio
Pulpfiction Books
Quality One Home Services
Ralph's Radio Ltd.
Ratio Architecture Interior design +panning
Reach CPA Inc
Realize Strategies Co-operative
Renewal Funds Management Company Ltd
Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club
RJS Construction Ltd
Royal Printers Ltd.
SAH Disaster Restoration Services Ltd.
School District No.40 New Westminster
SCY Society for Children and Youth of BC
Second Harvest Canada
SkyHive
SLA Architects
Stratascape Property Maintenance Inc
studioHuB architects ltd.
Summerland Credit Union
Sun Porch Homes Ltd.
Sunshine Coast Community Foundation
The Jilly Box Inc
The NOW Group
The Yoga Outreach Society
Trash City Garbage Removal Company Inc. DBA Goodbye Garbage
Umbrella Property Services
Umbrella Society
United Way British Columbia
Urban Arts Architecture Inc.
Urban Solar Corp
Vancouver & District Labour Council
Vancouver Premier Contracting & Eco Property Maintenance
West Coast Building Restoration Inc.
West Coast Flotation Systems
West Coast LEAF Association
West Vancouver Community Foundation
Worker Solidarity Network
Zenith Commissioning Consulting Ltd.
ZN Advisory Services Inc.
SierraSil Health Inc.

List of New Living Wage Employers for 2023
Agility Technologies Corporation
Arch Engineers
Aunt Leah's Place
BC Moving and Storage LTD
Bee's Knees Garden and Landscape
Briteweb
Brood Care Inc.
Central Park Farms
Chandos Construction
Computrol Fuel Systems Inc.
DLP Electrical Ltd.
East River Gardens
Energy Network Services
Entre Nous Femmes Housing Society
Habetin Homes Ltd.
Hi-Performance Distributors
Hogan's Alley Society
Kontur Geotechnical Consultants Inc.
Koome Urban Forestry Ltd.
Lìonra Agency Inc
McCuaig & Associates Engineering Ltd.
Provincial Moving & Storage (2022) Ltd.
Savage Society
SES Consulting
Signal West Contracting Ltd.
Smart Investments & Insurance Services Ltd
Sol-Mar Landscaping
Stay Wild natural Health
Sunshine Coast Botanical Garden Society
Tectonic Architecture
The Grounds Guys of Abbotsford
The North Shore Restorative Justice Society
United Way Southern Vancouver Island
Uptown Moving
WATSON Advisors Inc.
Wild Forager Catering