What You Need to Know About B.C.’s New Pay Transparency Law

British Columbia introduced a new law called the Pay Transparency Act to help close the gender pay gap and make workplaces fairer. It officially became law on May 11, 2023.

Here’s a simple breakdown of what it means for employers and employees:

What’s the Purpose of the Act?

The goal is to make pay more open and transparent so that everyone—regardless of gender—gets paid fairly for their work. It’s especially focused on addressing unfair pay practices that affect women and gender-diverse people.

What Employers Are Now Required to Do

1. List Pay on Job Postings

Employers must include a salary or salary range in every public job posting. This helps job seekers know what to expect and ensures fairer pay practices.

2. Not Ask About Pay History

Employers can no longer inquire about job applicants' previous wages. This change aims to prevent past pay discrimination from affecting new employment opportunities. (Note: Employers are still allowed to use the pay history they already have on record for current employees.)

3. Protect Employees Who Talk About Pay

Employees are allowed to:

3. ask about their own pay

4. share their pay with coworkers or job applicants; and

5. ask questions about their employer’s pay transparency report.

Employers cannot punish employees for doing any of the above. That means no demotions, suspensions, or harassment just for speaking up about pay.

4. Publish Pay Transparency Reports

Larger employers, based on the number of employees, must publish a yearly report showing pay differences between genders in their workplace. These reports must be posted online by November 1 each year.

The requirement is being rolled out in phases depending on the number of employees in the company:

4. for 2024, 1,000 or more;

5. for 2025, 300 or more; and

6. for 2026, 50 or more.

For a year after 2026, the government may specify smaller companies, with fewer employees, which will be required to comply with the legislation.

What’s in the Reports?

 The reports include:

• the percentage of employees by gender who got bonuses or overtime; and

• pay differences between genders

Employers need to collect some of this information from their employees, but sharing gender or related information is completely voluntary.

Why It Matters

This new law is part of an effort to make sure everyone is paid fairly and to reduce the long-standing pay gap between men, women, and gender-diverse people. By making salary info public and protecting workers who speak up, this is a step toward more transparent and equitable workplaces.

If you are an employer, it is time to review your policies and make sure you comply.

If you have any questions, please contact us at (778) 871 9791 or email Dominique Legendre  dl@dwslaw.ca.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to serve as, or should be construed as legal advice, and is only to provide general information. Should you require legal advice for your particular situation, please get in touch with us. The information for this article was compiled on September 9, 2025.