Short answer: In British Columbia, the minimum wage is $18.25 an hour from 1 June 2026. There is no lower wage for tipped staff: tips come on top of the full minimum wage. Tips are paid for the person who served you.
Minimum wage and tips in British Columbia
| British Columbia | |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $18.25 an hour |
| In force since | 1 June 2026 |
| Lower wage for tipped staff | No |
Adjusted each 1 June using the BC consumer price index.
No lower wage for tipped staff. Tips are not wages.
Liquor servers have been paid the regular minimum wage since 1 June 2021.
Upcoming changes
The government page gives no date or amount. Under the yearly CPI rule the next change would normally be 1 June 2027.
Who owns the tips
Tips are paid for the person who served you. Under section 30.3 an employer cannot keep your tips, deduct from them or make you hand them over, except for pooling under section 30.4 or a legal order such as a wage garnishment. If an employer takes tips, the Branch can recover them as if they were wages. The guide does not set a payment deadline.
Tip pools
Employers can require a tip pool and decide who shares and how much, and the Employment Standards Branch guide lists cooks, dishwashers and housekeeping staff as examples of people who can be included. Managers may share depending on the employer's policy. An owner, director, shareholder or partner can only share if they regularly do substantially the same work as the staff who earned the tips (Employment Standards Act, section 30.4).
Can card fees come out of tips?
No. The Branch says an employer cannot deduct from tips it can access, including tips paid by debit or credit card, and its examples show deducting spillage, breakage or walkout losses from a card tip pool breaks the Act. We found no provision allowing a card processing fee deduction.
Service charges
Yes. The tip rules also cover mandatory gratuities or service charges that customers must pay, so the employer cannot keep them from the staff who served the customers (Employment Standards Act, section 30.3).
Income tax on tips in British Columbia
Tips are taxable income. The CRA says you must report them: direct tips go on your return and controlled tips (paid through your employer) should already be on your T4. We found no exemption or deduction for tips in federal or BC tax rules.
Other rules
- Employees are not entitled to vacation pay on tips.
- An employer cannot charge staff for a dine-and-dash fund.
The agency in charge is the BC Employment Standards Branch.
Sharing tips fairly
To share a pool by hours or points, use the tip split calculator. For what a server owes support staff, use the tip-out calculator. Customs for visitors are in tipping in Canada.
Sources
- Minimum wage (BC Employment Standards)
- Tips and gratuities
- Gratuities, Act Part 3, Section 30.3
- Redistribution of gratuities, Act Part 3, Section 30.4
- Individuals: Track and report your tips and gratuities
Checked in October 2026 against the sources above. Wages and rules change; check with the agency in charge before relying on a figure. This is general information, not legal advice.
Common questions
What is the minimum wage in British Columbia?
$18.25 an hour, from 1 June 2026.
Is there a lower wage for tipped workers in British Columbia?
No. Tipped workers get the full minimum wage, and tips come on top.
Can my employer keep my tips in British Columbia?
Tips are paid for the person who served you. Under section 30.3 an employer cannot keep your tips, deduct from them or make you hand them over, except for pooling under section 30.4 or a legal order such as a wage garnishment. If an employer takes tips, the Branch can recover them as if they were wages. The guide does not set a payment deadline.
Can my employer take card fees out of my tips in British Columbia?
No. The Branch says an employer cannot deduct from tips it can access, including tips paid by debit or credit card, and its examples show deducting spillage, breakage or walkout losses from a card tip pool breaks the Act. We found no provision allowing a card processing fee deduction.
Are tip pools allowed in British Columbia?
Employers can require a tip pool and decide who shares and how much, and the Employment Standards Branch guide lists cooks, dishwashers and housekeeping staff as examples of people who can be included. Managers may share depending on the employer's policy. An owner, director, shareholder or partner can only share if they regularly do substantially the same work as the staff who earned the tips (Employment Standards Act, section 30.4).
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