Image: Farm workers at many Fraser Valley farms are getting a wage increase today. / File / Modfos - Dreamstime

By Fraser Valley Today Staff

3.9 per cent hike

Many farm workers to receive wage hike today

Dec 31, 2024 | 3:30 AM

CHILLIWACK — Minimum piece rates for hand-harvesting farm crops will increase by 3.9 per cent today (Dec. 31), providing a wage boost to farm workers across the province.

The increase applies to 15 agricultural crops specified in British Columbia’s employment standards regulation, including blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, apricots, brussels sprouts, daffodils, mushrooms, apples, beans, cherries, grapes, pears, peas, and prune plums. Many of the crops are cultivated in abundance on farms in the Chilliwack and Abbotsford areas.

The annual adjustment is tied to the province’s average inflation rate from the previous year. It mirrors the 3.9 per cent increase to the general minimum hourly wage that took effect on June 1, 2024. Legislative changes to the Employment Standards Act earlier this year established a consistent schedule for wage adjustments, with general minimum wage increases occurring each June 1 and piece rate increases following on Dec. 31.

The farm-worker minimum piece-rate system has been in place since 1981. It sets specific pay rates for each of the 15 hand-harvested crops. Prior to the adjustment, piece rates were increased by 6.9 per cent in January 2024 and by 11.5 per cent in January 2019.

Farm workers, a vital part of B.C.’s agricultural sector, have long relied on the piece-rate system for compensation. Advocates say the scheduled increases help address inflationary pressures while supporting workers in one of the province’s most demanding industries.

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