BC public sector workforce grew 50 percent since 2016, analysis shows
(Image courtesy of CBC)
Despite BC’s deepening fiscal crisis, growing deficits, and Premier David Eby’s declining approval ratings, Coastal Front’s analysis shows the provincial public sector workforce has considerably expanded from 2016 to 2025.
According to available BC Public Sector Employers' Council (PSEC) data from 2016 to 2025, the public sector headcount rose from 383,527 to 593,547, while average compensation per employee increased from $69,617 to $89,685.
The BC Public Sector Employers' Council includes the following sectors as part of the BC public sector personnel:
Health - Health authorities, hospitals and regional health services, such as nurses, physicians and pharmacists
Education (K-12) - School districts and public schools, such as teachers, school administrators and educational assistants
Public Service - Core government ministries and central agencies, such as policy analysts, program managers and regulatory officers
Research Universities - Research universities, such as professors, postdoctoral fellows, and research staff
Crown Corporations - Government-owned, controlled companies such as those employed by BC Hydro and ICBC
Community Social Services - Non-profit organizations funded or contracted by the government, such as social workers, case managers and counsellors
Colleges, Institutions and Teaching Universities - Community colleges and technical institutes such as instructors, lab technicians and program coordinators
Compensation and headcount see explosive growth
Looking at average employee compensation, all seven sectors saw considerable growth in financial remuneration, with the average employee in colleges, institutions, and teaching universities making 40 percent more than they did back in 2016.
Information received from the BC Public Sector Employers' Council Secretariat.
Looking at headcount, a similar picture emerges, with nearly all sectors seeing a substantial rise in staff from 2016 to 2025. Community social services saw a jump of over 300 percent, seeing staff rise from 16,496 in 2016 to 67,566 in 2025. Community social service compensation also went up from $700 million in 2016 to nearly $3.4 billion in 2025.
Information received from the BC Public Sector Employers' Council Secretariat.
Province looks to cut back
BC Finance Minister Brenda Bailey has announced plans to save the province $1.5 billion over the next three years; additional measures may be needed to address the $11.6 billion deficit.
