Minimum piece rates for hand harvesting specified farm crops in British Columbia increased by 3.9 per cent on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024.

The increase applies to 15 agricultural crops harvested by hand as specified in the employment standards regulation. The hand-harvested crops are peaches, apricots, Brussels sprouts, daffodils, mushrooms, apples, beans, blueberries, cherries, grapes, pears, peas, prune plums, raspberries and strawberries.

This is an annual increase based on B.C.’s average annual inflation rate in 2023 and is consistent with the 3.9 per cent increase to the general minimum hourly wage that came into effect on June 1, 2024. After legislative changes were made to the Employment Standards Act in spring 2024, increases to the general minimum wage and piece rates will come into effect each year on June 1 and Dec. 31 respectively, based on the previous year’s average inflation rate.

Each of the 15 hand-harvested crops in British Columbia has its own minimum pay rate.

Farm-worker piece rates in B.C. were increased by 11.5 per cent in January 2019 and 6.9 per cent in January 2024.

For all other provinces, the Western Agricultural Labour Initiative reports that effective 

January 1, 2025 the minimum wage for all Temporary Foreign Workers on the National Commodities List (NCL Wage Rate) has increased.  Refer to the detailed list prepared by Service Canada for the rate applicable for your farm.  
 

 

Source:  BC Government December 30, 2024 news release/WALI January 2, 2025 news release