By Greg Osoba, CKTZ News, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

As of June 1, British Columbia’s minimum wage is the highest in Canada at $15.65 per hour. Yet businesses in urban and rural communities are struggling to meet staffing needs; some of the hardest hit are the service, hospitality and retail sectors.

According to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, the hospitality sector faces “a long road to recovery”.

Cortes Island is served by four grocery stores meeting the needs of 1,000 year-round residents, which triples with summer visitors. The Cortes Natural Food Co-op has just made changes to its wage structure. It’s the first adjustment in two years.

General Manager Mary Lavelle is relieved that students who work in the summer are soon returning. She says the co-op needs additional staff to work the tills, as well as to hire a kitchen supervisor. She says the recent wage increase is a “leap of faith” and trusts it’ll help to retain existing staff and attract new employees.

Top photo credit: The Cortes Natural Food Co-op. Photo by Greg Osoba.