$1,111.20 in March – Alberta tops provinces for average weekly earnings

Alberta tops provinces for average weekly earnings,  $1,111.20 in March

CALGARY — Alberta topped all provinces for average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees in March and had the second highest year-over-year growth rate in the country, according to Statistics Canada.

The federal agency reported Wednesday that average weekly earnings for the province reached $1,111.20 during the month, which was a 4.6 per cent hike from a year ago.

Only Saskatchewan’s 5.5 per cent jump was better than Alberta’s.

On a monthly basis, earnings in Alberta rose by 1.1 per cent.

Nationally, average weekly earnings were $914.80 in March, up 0.7 per cent from the previous month and an increase of 3.1 per cent year-over-year.

Alberta also had the best year-over-year growth in total non-farm payroll employment which grew by 70,700 people in the past 12 months, or 3.7 per cent. Growth was flat, though, from the previous month as it increased by only 800 people.

Across Canada, total non-farm payroll employment decreased by 22,100 in March after edging up by 2,900 in February.

In March, the number of payroll employees declined most notably in ‘other services’ such as repair and maintenance and personal and laundry services; professional, scientific and technical services; public administration; and health care and social assistance. These losses were partly offset by increases in educational services and manufacturing, said Statistics Canada.

On a year-over-year basis, the number of non-farm payroll employees rose by 180,900, or 1.2 per cent.

Among all sectors, construction posted the highest 12-month growth rate in payroll employment, at 5.8 per cent, followed by real estate and rental and leasing (4.4 per cent), as well as mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction (3.7 per cent). The most notable declines were in information and cultural industries (3.5 per cent) and in forestry, logging and support (3.3 per cent), added the federal agency.