B.C. Community Coroners Get 55% Pay Hike After Decade of Stagnant Wages

The B.C. government is boosting pay for community coroners by about 55%, addressing years of complaints about low wages for this demanding role. The wage increase, effective June 1, raises hourly pay from $32 to $49.77 per hour—the first raise in a decade.

Key Details

• 40 vacancies are being filled across communities including the Okanagan, Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast, northern Vancouver Island, West Kootenays, and Sea-to-Sky region.
• Community coroners work "as and when required" with no guaranteed hours; compensation depends on case volume.
• Previous complaints included being on-call 24/7 without pay unless dispatched to a death scene.

The Ministry of Public Safety has not yet commented. This change follows years of lobbying by current and former coroners for better compensation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 3, 2026.