Earnings increased in every province
Average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees rose 4.5 per cent to $872.12 between December 2009 and December 2010, according to a report by Statistics Canada.
December marked the fifth consecutive month during which year-over-year growth was above four per cent. In comparison, average weekly earnings grew by 2.4 per cent from December 2008 to December 2009, the agency said.
Some of the growth in weekly earnings between was attributable to a 1.8 per cent increase in the average workweek to 33 hours, the report found.
Other factors contributed to the increase, including wage growth, changes in the composition of employment by industry, changes in occupations within industries and job experience, according to the report.
Average weekly earnings increased in every province. Growth was above the national average in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec while New Brunswick and British Columbia had the slowest growth.
Growth in average weekly earnings was above the national average in professional, scientific and technical services, manufacturing, administrative and support services, construction and accommodation and food services. The slowest growth in earnings occurred in public administration.
