Langley, BC –  With today’s announcement that BC’s minimum wage will increase to $18.25 on June 1, 2026,  the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce is cautioning the Province that continued cost increases on employers are becoming increasingly difficult for businesses to absorb.

While the Langley Chamber, BC’s fastest-growing chamber of commerce, recognizes the importance of fair wages, it warns that this increase comes amid a growing stack of new costs, taxes, and administrative burdens facing BC businesses.

“Minimum wage increases don’t happen in isolation,” says Langley Chamber CEO Cory Redekop. “For many local employers and small businesses, this is just the latest in a long list of rising costs — from payroll taxes and property taxes to the recent expansion of the PST in the latest provincial budget. At some point, the cumulative impact becomes too much to bear for small and medium-sized businesses.”

The Chamber notes that wage increases at the minimum level often ripple upward through pay scales, adding broader payroll pressure all along the wage scale, and only adding to the increased costs of doing business – which inevitably get passed on in the form of higher prices.

Business groups across the province, including the Langley Chamber, this week raised concerns about the expanding Provincial Sales Tax to cover professional services, calling it a significant new cost that will flow through the economy, and this is yet another cost increase.

“The concern we’re hearing consistently from local businesses is not about any single change — it’s the stacking effect,” says Redekop. “Costs keep rising on multiple fronts while economic growth remains uncertain.”

The Langley Chamber is urging the provincial government to place greater focus on policies that grow the overall economy and improve business competitiveness.

“Government needs to be thinking seriously about how we grow the economic pie, not just how we divide it,” says Redekop. “That means creating better economic conditions so businesses can succeed and workers can benefit from a stronger economy.  When businesses are doing well and competing for workers, you’ll get wage and salary increases naturally.”

The Chamber will continue engaging with provincial decision-makers on measures to support a competitive and sustainable business environment in BC.