Increase the minimum wage?

Kelowna Mayor Sharon Shepherd says she supports a hike in the minimum wage in some form.

She just isn't sure if it is feasible for the minimum wage to rise $2 in one jump.

Currently, the $8 minimum wage in B.C. is the lowest in the country.

The BC Federation of Labour is again calling on the province to raise it to $10 while at the same time eliminating the $6 an hour starting wage.

The BC Fed made its latest request in a letter signed by 21 mayors across the province.

Ironically, the signatures of the nine Okanagan mayors are conspicuous by their absence.

Shepherd says she was unaware of the communication until asked about it by reporters.

"I never did see the request. We do check every correspondence we get," says Shepherd.

Despite not having a chance to sign the letter, Shepherd says she does support an increase in the minimum wage.

"I do have a concern about the minimum wage, particularly the starting wage. I think it should all be looked at," says Shepherd.

"I know in tough economic times you always worry about the small businesses and the impact in changing the wage. But, I'm supportive of revisiting that."

Shepherd says an incremental increase may be the best way to go.

"It could really have an impact, especially with the small businesses. If they brought it in over time I think that would be a better way."

She says all too often a wage is set and then left for years.

"Then you have to do a big catch up to accommodate where people should be at."

At the recently concluded Union of BC Municipalities convention in Whistler, Shepherd says she learned about something called a 'Living Wage.'

She says New Westminster was the first municipality to bring in the Living Wage.

Shepherd says the Living Wage is a calculation of what people need to live in a particular community.

She says in the case of New Westminster, the Living Wage would be the wage expectation for all civic employees.

"They also identified that any contracts would also have to have people that were paid that. They had control over that."

Shepherd says it's something that was very well received by the citizens of New Westminster and something she says Kelowna could look at.

Meantime, West Kelowna Mayor, Doug Findlater, says his municipality also was not approached by the BC Fed.

Regardless, Findlater says the municipality does not comment on provincial matters.

"Our council does not have a position, the mayor does not have a position, however, citizen Doug Findlater did sign a petition at the IPE supporting an increase in the minimum wage," says Findlater.