Average Weekly Earnings Continue to Rise in Canada

(CEP News – Geoff Matthews)

The average weekly earnings of payroll employees in Canada edged above $800 in October as workers in eight of the 10 provinces were paid more than in the previous month, Statistics Canada reported Monday. Average earnings rose 0.3% from September (+3% from a year ago) to $801.24, up from $788.49 in September and $777.64 in October of 2007.

Workers in accommodation and food services continued to see their wages increase. The average weekly paycheque in the sector was $353.77, up 1.5% from September and 8.8% more than a year earlier. Forestry workers saw a 1.1% month-over-month increase in their average weekly earnings to $1,033.44, up 7.9% from October, 2007.

Mining and oil and gas extraction employees continued to command the highest average weekly wages at $1,482.58. That represented a 0.5% decrease from September but was 4.3% higher on an annual basis.

Of the 20 sectors reporting, workers in 13 showed higher average weekly earnings in October compared with September while employees in the other seven earned less.

Alberta and British Columbia were the only two provinces to report smaller weekly earnings compared with September. In both provinces, the average was down by 0.6% bringing the Alberta figure to $888.73 and B.C. to $777.98.

Quebec recorded the biggest month-over-month increase among the provinces, with average earnings up 2% from September to $755.03. In Ontario, the average inched up by 0.1% to $830.83.

Despite the October dip, Alberta still posted the strongest year-over-year growth in average earnings (+4.3%), followed by Nova Scotia (+4.1%) and Saskatchewan (+4%).

The number of employees nationally rose by 0.1% on a monthly basis in October (+1.5% year-over-year) to 14,623,400. Fourteen sectors saw an increase in the number of workers, five reported declines from the previous month and one was unchanged.

Since October 2007, the number of employees has increased by 212,500 (+1.5%).