App-based ride hailing and delivery drivers in BC will now be paid a minimum wage of 20.88 starting September 3rd.
Today (Wednesday), the provincial government announced regulations to provide fairness, basic protections and minimum-wage protections – which will be a first of its kind in Canada for those employed by Uber, Lyft, Skip the Dishes and Door Dash among others.
“All companies should be providing basic fairness like minimum wage for their workers,” said Harry Bains, Minister of Labour. “Everyone working hard to support their families should have basic protections so if they’re injured on the job, they won’t lose their homes. That is what we are doing with these regulations – providing fair pay and basic protections for these workers.”
The regulations address the top concerns raised by workers, including:
* Low and unpredictable pay: The regulation sets a minimum wage for engaged time, and a minimum per-kilometre vehicle allowance to compensate workers for their vehicle expenses.
* Lack of workers’ compensation: All ride-hailing and delivery workers will be covered through WorkSafeBC.
* Lack of transparency: Companies must allow workers to see the locations and estimated pay associated with a job before workers accept it.
* Unfair “deactivations” and suspension: Companies must tell workers why they are being suspended or terminated. If they are terminated without cause, they must be given notice or compensation.
* Tip protection: Companies must pay 100% of tips provided by the customer to the worker.
The final regulations will be posted in the coming days.
The new rules apply to ride-hailing and delivery workers who accept assignments through a third-party app.
They do not apply to other types of gig workers, such as freelance writers, musicians or dog walkers.
“Too many workers in this industry are putting in long hours and being paid less than the minimum wage,” said Janet Routledge, Parliamentary Secretary for Labour. “At the end of a shift, after paying their vehicle expenses, these workers are barely ahead of where they started. The new protections are going to change that.”
Government estimates there are approximately 11,000 ride-hailing drivers and 35,000 delivery workers in B.C.
According to Pollara Strategic Insights, in 2023, 38% of people in B.C. used rideshare apps and 46% used food-delivery services in the past year.
A link to the full release can be found here.
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