BC's minimum wage is about to go up after a decade-long freeze.  Its the first big announcement by new premier Christy Clark.  It sees the minimum hourly rate increase from $8, to $10.25 by May of 2012.  Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick says the new minimum wage will be phased in, with the first of three increases will happening this May.  It brings the minimum hourly rate up to $8.75.  Letnick says just 2 to 3 percent of BC's population actually makes minimum wage, but he says the incremental approach will help the private sector adjust without a heavy hit to their payroll.  "For those companies that employ a lot of untrained service workers who are paid minimum wage, this phased-in approach will give them an opportunity to adjust," Letnick says.  The increase could mean an extra $4,000 dollars per year for a full-time worker making minimum wage.  "In 2001, I believe BC had the highest minimum wage in the country," says Letnick, "this year, we have the lowest minimum wage so it just hasn't kept up with inflation," he admits.  A special $9 per hour minimum wage for liquor servers will also be phased in.  Its based on a system in Ontario.