Summary

• In 2025, the gender pay gap between women and men in B.C. decreased to 14.5%, or 85 cents on average for every dollar men earned
• As of March 2026, 81% of Indeed job postings in B.C. included salary information, compared to 56% across Canada
• About 700 employers in B.C. were required to prepare and post pay transparency reports in 2025
• Beginning November 2026, all employers with 50 or more employees will be required to do so

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Government has released its third Pay Transparency Annual Report, showing progress as the gender pay gap in British Columbia continues to narrow.

Pay transparency measures mandated under the Pay Transparency Act support more informed career decisions. Job seekers increasingly know how much a job pays before applying, employees are permitted to discuss pay without reprisal, and employers and the public are more aware of gender pay gaps. Increased transparency is associated with improved earnings and economic security for women, which can support higher levels of household spending and broader economic growth.

The 2026 report indicates that these measures are contributing to changes in the gender pay gap, which narrowed from 18.4% in 2022 to 14.5% in 2025. Women in B.C. earned 85 cents on average for every dollar men earned.

Improvements to gender pay gap in focus sectors

The 2026 report focuses on three of the largest sectors in B.C.’s economy that employ nearly 30% of the workforce and are expected to contribute significantly to job growth over the next decade:

• Professional, scientific and technical services, where the gender pay gap improved by five percentage points from 2024 to 2025, though remained higher than average at 18%.
• Retail trade, showing a lower overall gender pay gap of 9% in 2025, though women remained under-represented in higher-paid middle management roles.  
• Construction, where women earned 10% less than men in 2025, a four-percentage-point improvement over 2024, though continued to be significantly under-represented.

Largest gender pay gap improvements

From 2024 to 2025, the gender pay gap improved most in:

• mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, decreasing by 10 percentage points
• administrative and support in waste management and remediation services, decreasing by 11 percentage points
• agriculture, fishing and hunting, decreasing by 12 percentage points

Gender pay gap findings

In 2025:

• women 55 and older earned 83 cents for every dollar men in the same age group made, up from 78 cents in 2017
• racialized women earned 74 cents for every dollar earned by non-racialized men, an improvement of two percentage points from 2024, despite racialized women having higher levels of education
• Indigenous women earned 83 cents for every dollar earned by non-Indigenous men, an improvement of two percentage points
• recent newcomer women (five years or fewer in Canada) earned 69 cents for every dollar earned by Canadian-born men, a worsening of four percentage points

Pay transparency requirements for B.C. employers

Pay transparency practices can improve hiring efficiency, broaden applicant pools, reduce turnover, and support more stable and productive workplaces.

The Pay Transparency Act requires all employers in B.C. to include pay information on publicly posted jobs, and large and medium-sized companies to begin posting annual pay transparency reports. As of March 2026, 81% of job postings on Indeed in B.C. included pay information, compared to 56% across Canada.

Approximately 700 employers with 300 or more employees were required to prepare and post pay transparency reports by November 2025. About 64% of employers met the requirement, and outreach and education continue with employers to support them to meet their reporting obligations. In fall 2026, the reporting requirement will apply to employers with 50 or more employees, approximately 8,500 employers.

Quick Facts:

• As B.C. advances its Look West strategy, a $241-million investment will add up to 5,000 trades training seats in 2026, expanding about 100 in-demand trades and creating opportunities for women and other equity-deserving groups.
• Fair and transparent pay practices can help employers attract and retain talent, support employee morale and productivity, and enhance competitiveness in a global labour market.

Learn More:

• To read the 2026 Pay Transparency Report and learn more about pay transparency, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/about-the-bc-government/gender-equity/pay-transparency-in-bc