Labour Minister Murray Coell has backed off on comments that led to speculation B.C.'s minimum wage -- the lowest in the country at $8 an hour -- will be hiked soon.
Coell referred to the minimum wage during a panel discussion at the annual meeting of the Union of B.C. Municipalities Wednesday, suggesting it was under review.
But yesterday, he said it's routinely under review, along with other measures to boost the take-home pay of low-income earners.
"It's something we will consider in the future. We're looking at all things to continue to build the economy. We have to look into the future and we have two years left in our mandate," Coell told reporters.
The remarks left B.C. Federation of Labour head Jim Sinclair dismayed.
He said earlier he was encouraged by the hint that there was "a little crack in that wall of indifference."
But yesterday, he said Coell was out of line to shut the door again on the idea of an immediate hike.
B.C. hasn't raised the minimum-wage rate in a decade. By comparison, other provinces' rates range from a high of $10.25 in Ontario to $8.70 in Prince Edward Island.
B.C. NDP Leader Carole James won a round of applause in her speech to delegates yesterday after saying the government needs to recall the legislature to, among other things, increase the minimum wage to $10 an hour.
She told reporters later: "We have the lowest in the country. It's long past time to reward hard work and increase the minimum wage.
"Those dollars get spent in our communities. That will help small businesses. It's actually an economic stimulus."
Brian Bonney, of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said only about three per cent of B.C. workers make the minimum wage.
But any increase would force layoffs and curtail business, he said.
"The government needs to really take a look at the economy. It's very volatile," he said, adding any increase would result in workers losing jobs and losing hours.
Bonney suggested income tax reform instead.
