In the lead up to public service bargaining, the BCGEU conducted an analysis of employment growth in the B.C. public sector and reviewed interprovincial comparisons.  

Below is a snapshot of the findings: 

• In terms of size, B.C.’s public sector is on par with the national average, and smaller than Quebec. [1] 

• Public sector employment growth has not surpassed private sector growth by a wide margin in recent years. Between June 2023 and August 2024, private sector employment in B.C. grew by 2.24 per cent, compared to 4.67 per cent in the overall public sector. [2] 

• Non-union management, who make up one quarter of the civil service, has grown at nearly twice the rate of union jobs since 2010. [3] 

In July 2025, the BCGEU published the report, B.C.’s public service: An investment in public safety and a healthy economy, to demonstrate how investing in public sector workers is both necessary and economically feasible. Read or download a PDF of the report here.

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[1] Source: Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0027-01 Employment by class of worker, annual (x 1,000), 

[2] Source: Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0027-01 Employment by class of worker, annual (x 1,000) 

[3] Source: BC Public Service Agency, BC government public service act (PSA) employees by employee group, based on payroll data.