New Living Wage In B.C. 2025 Will Shock You

Last Updated On 16 November 2025, 9:52 AM EST (Toronto Time)

British Columbia’s new 2025 living wage report has arrived — and the numbers reveal a startling reality for workers across the province.

The latest calculations from Living Wage BC show that people now need between $21.55 and $29.60 per hour just to cover the most basic expenses of living in British Columbia.

These updated rates confirm what many families have been feeling on the ground: affordability pressures continue to grow despite slower inflation.

The 2025 living wage reflects what a family must earn to afford essentials such as rent, food, transportation, and child care after accounting for taxes and credits.

As costs rise unevenly across regions, this year’s figures show significant disparities from community to community.

For employers, policymakers, and workers, the new report offers a clear and urgent message about the true cost of living in B.C.

New Living Wage Rates In British Columbia 2025 For 37 Regions

In the Metro Vancouver region, the 2025 living wage is $27.85/hour, up $0.80 (+3%) from the 2024 rate of $27.05.
The lowest living wage among the 27 regions calculated is in Grand Forks at $21.55/hour (+3.6% from 2024).
The highest rate is in Whistler at $29.60/hour (+5.4% from 2024).
Across all 27 communities in BC, the living wage ranges from $21.55 to $29.60.
The provincial minimum wage is $17.85/hour as of June 1, 2025.
That means in Metro Vancouver the living wage is nearly $10 higher than the minimum wage.

Community	2025 Wage (per hr)	% Change from 2024*
Campbell River	$25.30	New
Columbia Valley	$23.35	+2.0%
Comox Valley	$25.35	+4.1%
Cowichan Valley	$25.75	+0.2%
Daajing Giids	$25.30	-5.9%
Fraser Valley	$24.25	+4.4%
Golden	$27.80	+3.1%
Grand Forks	$21.55	+3.6%
Greater Victoria	$27.40	+2.3%
Kamloops	$24.45	+3.2%
Kelowna	$25.95	+0.7%
Kitimat	$27.25	New
Metro Vancouver	$27.85	+3.0%
Nanaimo	$24.40	+2.6%
Nelson*	$24.45	+12.1%
Pemberton	$25.90	New
Penticton	$25.10	+0.7%
Port Alberni	$22.60	New
Powell River	$26.65	+0.6%
Prince George	$23.15	+1.0%
Prince Rupert	$24.90	New
Revelstoke*	$27.80	+9.0%
Squamish	$28.00	+4.6%
Sunshine Coast	$26.65	+0.9%
Trail	$22.95	+0.4%
Vernon	$24.10	New
Whistler	$29.60	+5.4%

Why the increase and what’s driving it

The rise in the living wage is largely driven by escalating costs in key categories:

Shelter (rent, utilities, insurance) remains the largest single expense in the living wage budget.
Food costs continue to climb — in Metro Vancouver the out-of-pocket food cost rose approximately 3.6% from the previous year.
For child-care, the report notes steep rises in out-of-pocket costs for a reference two-parent, two-child family.
Meanwhile, while the inflationary surge of earlier years has moderated, the supply side pressures — especially in housing (low vacancy rates, rising turnover rent increases) — persist.

Regional disparities remain large

Because costs differ significantly across the province, one rate cannot capture all realities. Some of the key regional insights:

Smaller communities or those with more affordable housing have lower living wage thresholds (Grand Forks $21.55).
More expensive regions (Whistler $29.60) reflect higher housing, transportation or child-care costs.
Some communities saw greater year-on-year jumps: for example, Nelson experienced a +12.1% increase in its living wage.
In contrast, some regions recorded only modest increases (e.g., Kelowna +0.7%).

Implications for workers and employers

With more than a third of paid workers in Metro Vancouver earning less than the living wage, the gap between what people earn and what they need continues to create financial strain.
For employers, paying a living wage can reduce turnover, boost productivity and support local economies — but voluntary employer efforts alone are unlikely to close gaps given the cost-of-living pressures.
For policymakers, the report underscores that raising the minimum wage (to better align with living wage levels), increasing affordable housing supply, improving child-care affordability and supporting transit are critical components of a broader affordability strategy.

What’s being recommended

The report calls for the provincial government to raise the minimum wage to $20 / hour (or higher) to meaningfully reduce the gap between minimum and living wages.
The report urges coordinated government action across housing, transit, food security and labour standards to support the affordability of working families.

The 2025 living wage figures for British Columbia point to a stark reality: even full-time work in many communities may not yield income sufficient to cover basic costs without stress.

With living wage thresholds significantly above the minimum wage in many regions, the pressure on working families, employers and the broader social system remains substantial.

As the report emphasises, tackling the affordability crisis will require more than incremental wage increases.

It will also demand investments in housing supply, child-care, transit and food affordability — and strong collaboration between government, employers and community advocates.

For workers, the message is clear: earning minimum wage is not enough to guarantee economic security in many parts of BC.

For employers and policymakers, the message is urgent: the gap between paid work and livable income must be addressed if the province is to build resilient, inclusive communities.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the living wage in British Columbia for 2025?

The 2025 living wage in British Columbia ranges from $21.55 to $29.60 depending on the region. The lowest rate is in Grand Forks at $21.55, while the highest is in Whistler at $29.60. Metro Vancouver’s 2025 living wage is $27.85, and Greater Victoria sits at $27.40. These figures reflect the hourly earnings needed for workers to cover basic living costs without falling into financial stress.

Why did the living wage increase in many BC regions in 2025?

Living wage rates rose in most communities due to higher shelter costs, rising food prices, increased child-care expenses, and transportation pressures. Housing remains the biggest driver of the increase, especially in areas facing low rental supply and high turnover rents. Some regions, like Nelson and Revelstoke, saw large jumps because of significant year-over-year spikes in household expenses.

How does the BC living wage compare to the minimum wage in 2025?

The provincial minimum wage is $17.85 per hour as of 2025, which is substantially lower than the living wage in every region of BC. In Metro Vancouver, the living wage is nearly $10 higher than the minimum wage. This gap indicates that many full-time workers earning minimum wage cannot meet basic living costs without additional support or multiple income sources.

Which BC regions saw the biggest increase in living wage rates for 2025?

Nelson recorded one of the highest percentage increases at +12.1 percent, followed by Revelstoke at +9.0 percent and Squamish at +4.6 percent. Regions like Cowichan Valley and Kelowna recorded very small adjustments, indicating more stable or less volatile cost changes. New regions such as Kitimat, Pemberton, Vernon, and Port Alberni were added to the 2025 report with fresh calculations.

Kamal Deep Singh, RCIC

Kamal Deep Singh, RCIC (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant) licensed by CICC (formerly known as ICCRC) with member number R708618. He brings extensive knowledge of immigration law and new changes to rapidly evolving IRCC.