As Canada’s economy and GDP per capita stagnate into a productivity crisis, citizens look to the government and ask if this will eventually get better. A small but revealing legislative change in British Columbia has hinted at the answer: no.

Last week, B.C.’s NDP government introduced regulations to “provide fairness, minimum-wage measures and basic protections for app-based ride-hailing and delivery workers in British Columbia.” Starting in September, the rules will create a gig worker minimum salary of $20.88 — 120 per cent of the current minimum wage in B.C. — as well as price-per-kilometre reimbursement minimums and certain other worker protections.