The Minimum Working Age In BC Just Changed From 12 To 16 & These Are All The New Rules

B.C. has increased its minimum working age from 12 to 16 years old and defined what type of work is safe for young people.

Before these new changes, which came into effect on October 15, B.C. was the only province that let children as young as 12 work.

Harry Bains, minister of labour, said in the release that "work experience can be a rewarding growth opportunity for young people, but it should never compromise their safety."

The changes to the Employment Standards Act were first started in spring 2019 but are now being implemented.

Examples of 'light work' children aged 14 to 15 can do with parental permission

• Recreation and sports club work, such as lifeguard, coach, golf caddy, camp counsellor, referee and umpire.
• Light farm and yard work, such as gardening, harvesting by hand, clearing leaves and snow, and grass cutting.
• Administrative and secretarial work.
• Retail work, such as stocking shelves, packaging orders, laying out displays, sales and cashier.
• Food service work, such as busing tables, preparing food, dishwashing and serving food and non-alcoholic drinks.
• Skilled and technical work, such as computer programmer, visual artist, graphic designer, writer and editor.

What are the exemptions?

There may be some exemptions to this with a permit from the Ministry of Labour's Employment Standards Branch.

Children as young as 12 are still allowed to babysit and deliver news part-time. If they work at a family-owned business or farm they can continue working as long as it meets safety criteria.

The release also stated that WorkSafeBC data reported "more than $1.1 million paid in job-related disability claims for workers 14 or younger between 2007 and 2016."

The release said that "in some cases, this involved hazardous situations or environments, such as construction sites or heavy-industry settings. As a result, young workers are injured on the job every year."

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.