Raise B.C. minimum wage again, says B.C. Fed.

The B.C. Federation of Labour has a new goal — prompt the provincial government to make annual increases to the minimum wage.

Federation president Jim Sinclair said Wednesday he's glad the B.C. government finally set up a round of minimum wage raises this year after no increases for 10 years. But Sinclair said it's still not enough.

"Why should people work in this society in any business doing anything and not at least get paid a wage that puts you at the poverty level?" Sinclair said. 

"It's almost embarrassing for me to ask for that, but the fact is we're not there yet, so we're hoping the government will actually continue this and take our suggestion."

The government phased in 75-cent increases on May 1 and Nov. 1, and have scheduled another increase to raise the wage to $10.25 an hour on May 1, 2012.

But Sinclair wants the government to move to a system of annual raises and says the target should be $11.25 an hour by November 2012.

B.C. Labour Minister Margaret MacDiarmid said she'll consider the proposal but makes no promises.