B.C. employers will soon have to include wage, salary information in job postings

B.C. is introducing legislation that will require employers to include wage or salary information in job postings. While the province says the move will help close the gender pay gap, advocates and labour unions say more action is needed.

In an announcement Tuesday, the government said its pay transparency legislation will take effect on Nov. 1.

"Today, we’re taking the next step – all employers need to be transparent about what people are being paid to close the pay gap between men and women,” said Kelli Paddon, parliamentary secretary for gender equity.

“Our work doesn’t end here. We’re determined to continue our engagement with all of our partners to close the pay gap and ensure people get the fair payment they deserve.”

In addition, the legislation will prohibit employers from asking job seekers for pay history and from punishing employees who disclose information about what they are paid. By November of 2026, all workplaces that employ 50 or more people will be required to post public reports about the gender pay gap at their companies or organizations.

Pay discrimination based on gender or any other protected characteristic is a violation of the B.C. Human Rights Code, the province's statement notes. Still, data from Statistics Canada in 2022 shows that women in B.C. make 17 per cent less than men. Average hourly rates for women were $5.97 less than for men. For Indigenous, racialized, and immigrant women the gap was even wider.

Tuesday's announcement comes on the heels of an open letter signed by a coalition of 128 organizations and individuals who say pay transparency is not the same as pay equity. While it may provide more information on the pay gap, the letter argues, it will not close it.

"While we appreciate that pay transparency plays a role in promoting equity, your legislation will take no direct action to protect and advance the right to equitable pay," the letter reads.

"Instead, it will continue to tacitly place the burden on women and other equity-deserving groups to contend with their employers for basic fairness."

The letter also notes that B.C. is tied with Alberta for having the most pronounced pay gap in the country. The signatories include unions, Indigenous rights organizations, equity-seeking advocacy groups, and law and policy experts.