Selected essential workers will have their wages topped up during the ongoing pandemic, with the extra income to be rolled out by individual provinces.
“We see across the country people working on the front lines in essential services, in our seniors care centres, in our long-term care, in our health-care systems and elsewhere who are making very low wages while doing extraordinarily important work,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced during his daily news briefing outside Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Thursday (May 7).
“The bottom line is this: if you’re risking your health to keep this country moving and you’re making minimum wage, you deserve a raise.”
Provinces and territories will determine which workers will receive a wage top-up. The federal government will provide three-quarters of the funds to provinces.
Trudeau initiatlly announced the pay top-up in mid-April. In B.C., minimum wage is currently $13.85 per hour, and will be increased to $14.60 on June 1.
ALSO READ: Here’s what is considered an essential service in B.C.
The B.C. government has not revealed any details, as of Thursday afternoon, about how the top up will be handled in the province.
@ashwadhwani
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Want to support local journalism during the pandemic? Make a donation here.
