Contents
- British Columbia wage growth statistics: Provincial weekly earnings in 2025 and 2026
- British Columbia wage growth statistics: Annual average weekly wage rate, 2016–2025
- British Columbia wage growth statistics: Hourly wage rates in goods and services
- British Columbia wage growth: BC wage growth: Weekly earnings by service industry
- British Columbia wage growth: BC wage growth: Hourly earnings by service industry
- British Columbia wage growth: BC minimum wage increases and CPI-linked adjustments
- British Columbia wage growth: BC tax-filer median wages in 2023
- Sources
British Columbia wage growth statistics: Provincial weekly earnings in 2025 and 2026
Statistics Canada reported seasonally adjusted average weekly earnings, including overtime, of $1,369.91 for all employees in British Columbia in August 2026. The comparable figure for August 2025 was $1,302.02, and the table reports a 5.2% change over that 12-month period. These are gross payroll amounts before source deductions. The percentage describes average weekly earnings, not take-home pay or an hourly rate. Statistics Canada: Average weekly earnings, August 2026
| Measure | Period | Reported value |
|---|---|---|
| Average weekly earnings, seasonally adjusted, including overtime | August 2025 | $1,302.02 |
| Average weekly earnings, seasonally adjusted, including overtime | August 2026 | $1,369.91 |
| Year-over-year change | August 2025–August 2026 | 5.2% |
| Monthly dollar change | July–August 2026 | $13.30 |
| Monthly percentage change | July–August 2026 | 1.0% |
Source for table: Statistics Canada, Table 1
The same release reports an increase of $13.30 from July to August 2026, or 1.0%. That is a month-to-month comparison; the 5.2% figure compares August 2025 with August 2026. Each percentage belongs to its stated period, and the monthly change should not be described as annual growth. Statistics Canada: Average weekly earnings, August 2026
This monthly Statistics Canada measure and the annual BC Stats series below have different scopes and adjustment methods. Statistics Canada reports a seasonally adjusted figure including overtime for all employees. BC Stats describes its annual measure as unadjusted and covering full-time and part-time employees aged 15 years and over. These measures can both inform a picture of earnings, but their periods and definitions should remain visible when comparing them. Statistics Canada BC Stats, Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026
British Columbia wage growth statistics: Annual average weekly wage rate, 2016–2025
BC Stats’ annual average weekly wage rate rose in each listed year, from $953.50 in 2016 to $1,378.69 in 2025. The annual percentage changes varied: 0.3% in 2016, 7.1% in 2020 and 3.1% in 2025. Each percentage is a year-over-year change, not a cumulative rate for the full period. BC Stats, Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026, p. 2
| Year | Average weekly wage rate | Annual change |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $953.50 | 0.3% |
| 2017 | $970.57 | 1.8% |
| 2018 | $999.60 | 3.0% |
| 2019 | $1,020.10 | 2.1% |
| 2020 | $1,092.88 | 7.1% |
| 2021 | $1,138.63 | 4.2% |
| 2022 | $1,194.34 | 4.9% |
| 2023 | $1,270.38 | 6.4% |
| 2024 | $1,336.98 | 5.2% |
| 2025 | $1,378.69 | 3.1% |
Source for table: BC Stats, Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026, p. 2
After the 7.1% change in 2020, the series records 4.2% in 2021 and 4.9% in 2022, followed by 6.4% in 2023, 5.2% in 2024 and 3.1% in 2025. The sequence shows variation in annual changes as the reported average increased; it does not identify what drove those changes. BC Stats, Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026, p. 2
The annual series is unadjusted and covers full-time and part-time employees aged 15 years and over. A weekly average describes earnings over a week; an hourly wage rate describes earnings per hour. The distinction matters when reading the separate sector and service-industry averages below. BC Stats, Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026
British Columbia wage growth statistics: Hourly wage rates in goods and services
BC Stats reports annual average hourly wage rates for goods industries and services industries. Across 2023–2025, the goods average was higher than the services average in each year shown. In 2023, goods averaged $36.88, with a reported annual change of 4.9%; services averaged $34.32, with a 7.0% change. In 2024, goods averaged $38.68, up 4.9%, while services averaged $36.22, up 5.5%. In 2025, goods averaged $40.00, up 3.4%, and services averaged $37.50, up 3.5%. BC Stats, Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026, p. 10
| Year | Goods average hourly wage | Goods annual change | Services average hourly wage | Services annual change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $36.88 | 4.9% | $34.32 | 7.0% |
| 2024 | $38.68 | 4.9% | $36.22 | 5.5% |
| 2025 | $40.00 | 3.4% | $37.50 | 3.5% |
Source for table: BC Stats, Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026, p. 10
The reported annual change was higher for services in 2023. The sector changes were closer in 2024 and 2025, with goods at 4.9% and services at 5.5% in 2024, then 3.4% and 3.5% respectively in 2025. These are unadjusted annual averages for full-time and part-time employees aged 15 years and over in the respective sector groupings. A sector average does not describe every worker’s pay. BC Stats, Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026, p. 10
British Columbia wage growth: BC wage growth: Weekly earnings by service industry
The 2025 service-industry averages show a broad spread in weekly earnings. Among the listed groups, professional, scientific and technical services had the highest average weekly wage, at $1,896.74, while accommodation and food services had the lowest, at $708.99. The annual changes ranged from a 7.2% increase in business, building and support services to a 4.3% decrease in professional, scientific and technical services. BC Stats, Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026, p. 9
| Service industry group | 2025 average weekly wages | Annual change |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale and retail trade | $1,009.08 | 0.6% |
| Transportation and warehousing | $1,479.66 | 5.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing | $1,602.09 | 7.1% |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | $1,896.74 | -4.3% |
| Business, building and support services | $1,107.79 | 7.2% |
| Educational services | $1,411.59 | 2.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | $1,309.11 | 5.0% |
| Information, culture and recreation | $1,258.84 | -0.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | $708.99 | 6.5% |
| Other services excluding public administration | $1,192.49 | 5.0% |
| Public administration | $1,814.94 | 6.2% |
Source for table: BC Stats, Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026, p. 9
Most listed groups recorded positive annual changes. Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing registered 7.1%, accommodation and food services 6.5%, and public administration 6.2%. Information, culture and recreation was down 0.6%, alongside the 4.3% decline in professional, scientific and technical services. The figures compare annual industry averages; they do not establish why a group’s average changed. BC Stats, Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026, p. 9
Weekly and hourly averages answer different questions. Weekly earnings can reflect both hourly wages and time worked, so a weekly figure is not a direct ranking of hourly pay. The next section reports hourly averages for the same service-industry groups. BC Stats, Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026
British Columbia wage growth: BC wage growth: Hourly earnings by service industry
In 2025, the average hourly wage among the listed service industries ranged from $23.45 in accommodation and food services to $49.73 in professional, scientific and technical services. Annual changes also varied: professional, scientific and technical services was down 2.3%, while finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing was up 7.4%. BC Stats, Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026, p. 11
| Service industry group | 2025 average hourly wages | Annual change |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale and retail trade | $28.61 | 0.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | $38.39 | 4.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing | $43.63 | 7.4% |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | $49.73 | -2.3% |
| Business, building and support services | $30.68 | 5.6% |
| Educational services | $43.32 | 5.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | $38.24 | 5.5% |
| Information, culture and recreation | $36.39 | -0.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | $23.45 | 5.2% |
| Other services excluding public administration | $33.15 | 2.8% |
| Public administration | $48.42 | 5.8% |
Source for table: BC Stats, Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026, p. 11
Public administration averaged $48.42 per hour, and professional, scientific and technical services averaged $49.73. Accommodation and food services had the lowest listed average, at $23.45. The annual changes were negative in professional, scientific and technical services (-2.3%) and information, culture and recreation (-0.2%); all other listed groups had positive reported changes. These industry figures are unadjusted annual averages for full-time and part-time employees aged 15 years and over, not a description of every employee in a group. BC Stats, Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026, p. 11
British Columbia wage growth: BC minimum wage increases and CPI-linked adjustments
British Columbia’s general minimum wage schedule records a series of hourly rates with effective dates. The rate was $13.85 per hour from June 1, 2019, $14.60 from June 1, 2020, $15.20 from June 1, 2021, $15.65 from June 1, 2022 and $16.75 from June 1, 2023. The later entries are $17.40 from June 1, 2024, $17.85 from June 1, 2025 and $18.25 from June 1, 2026. The provincial page says this general hourly minimum applies to most employees, regardless of how they are paid. Government of British Columbia: Minimum wage
The schedule separately lists a minimum for online platform workers, calculated per engaged hour: $20.88 from June 1, 2024, $21.43 from June 1, 2025 and $21.89 from June 1, 2026. Engaged time begins when a worker accepts an order or request and ends when it is completed or cancelled. This applies to a defined period of work, using a different hourly basis from the general minimum. Government of British Columbia: Minimum wage, online platform workers
The provincial page states that minimum-wage adjustments are linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). These statutory rates set legal floors for their specified categories and effective dates. They are not averages of actual earnings, so they should be kept distinct from the weekly earnings, hourly industry averages and tax-filer medians elsewhere in this article. Government of British Columbia: Minimum wage
British Columbia wage growth: BC tax-filer median wages in 2023
Statistics Canada reported a 2023 median of $49,300 in wages, salaries and commissions for British Columbia tax filers of both sexes, in 2023 constant dollars. The median was $58,130 for male tax filers and $42,190 for female tax filers on the same basis. These are annual medians for a defined income measure, not weekly or hourly rates. Statistics Canada: Annual wages, salaries and commissions of T1 tax filers, 2023, p. 2, Table 1
| BC tax-filer group | 2023 median wages, salaries and commissions |
|---|---|
| Both sexes | $49,300 |
| Male | $58,130 |
| Female | $42,190 |
The population consists of tax filers aged 15 years and older who had wages, salaries and commissions income. The measure includes full-time, part-time, full-year and part-year work, while excluding self-employment income. These medians describe that specified annual employment-income measure for tax filers, rather than all income types or hourly wage rates. Values are in 2023 constant dollars, using 2023 as the reference year. Statistics Canada: Annual wages, salaries and commissions of T1 tax filers, 2023
Sources
- Earnings and Employment Trends – October 2026, BC Stats (parent-parsed original PDF; released November 6, 2026)
- Average weekly earnings (including overtime) for all employees – Seasonally adjusted, August 2026
- Minimum wage – Province of British Columbia
- Annual wages, salaries and commissions of T1 tax filers, 2023