What does a crew member really cost?
Turn an hourly wage into the true cost per hour you work and per hour you can bill, with 2026 CPP, EI, WorkSafeBC, vacation pay and BC’s 11 stat holidays.
What you pay on top of the wage
These are the employer’s share. The employee’s own CPP and EI come off their cheque and aren’t a cost to you. Checked Oct 1, 2026; we re-check every January and when BC’s minimum wage changes in June.
| Item | 2026 rate | Limit / note |
|---|---|---|
| CPP | 5.95% | On earnings $3,500 – $74,600 · max $4,230.45 |
| CPP2 | 4% | On earnings $74,600 – $85,000 · max $416 |
| EI | 2.282% | 1.4 × the 1.63% employee rate · up to $68,900 |
| WorkSafeBC | $1.55 avg | Per $100 of payroll · up to $127,500 · varies by industry |
| Vacation pay | 4% · 6% | 6% after 5 years with you |
| Stat holidays | 11 days | Average day’s pay once eligible (30 days employed) |
| Employer Health Tax | 0% | Unless BC payroll is over $1,000,000 |
| BC minimum wage | $18.25/h | Since June 1, 2026 |
WorkSafeBC 2026 base rates per $100: Landscaping (764060) $3.14 · House building (721027) $2.88 · Framing (721024) $1.88 · Finish carpentry (721021) $2.97 · Excavation (721031) $2.35.
Payroll costs, answered.
How much does an employee cost in BC on top of wages?
For a typical trades wage, roughly 15–25% more, depending mostly on your WorkSafeBC rate. Employer CPP is 5.95%, EI is 2.282%, plus 4% vacation pay and 11 stat holidays a year.
What WorkSafeBC rate should I use?
Your classification unit’s rate, shown on your WorkSafeBC account. The 2026 base rate for landscaping (764060) is $3.14 per $100 of payroll; your own rate can be higher or lower with experience rating.
Why is the billable rate higher?
You pay for every hour, but you can’t bill travel, yard time, rain days or admin. Dividing the yearly cost by billable hours gives the rate your prices have to cover.
Does this include benefits or the truck?
No. Add health benefits, training, tools and vehicles in the overhead line of the job price calculator.
Built for BC trades.
Every idle day costs $271.
At $33.82 an hour, a crew member’s idle 8-hour day still costs you about $271. PermitRadius sends the new builds near you every Wednesday so the calendar stays full.
Rates: Canada Revenue Agency (CPP, CPP2 and EI for 2026), WorkSafeBC 2026 base premium rates, BC Employment Standards (vacation, statutory holidays), BC Employer Health Tax, BC minimum wage (June 1, 2026). Calculations run in your browser. Not payroll, tax or legal advice.