Alberta has the highest wages of any province in the country, even though its unemployment levels are high.
Average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees was $1,185.83 in October, according to a report released Thursday by Statistics Canada. That is up 0.9 per cent from the previous month and 3.8 per cent higher than a year ago.
In contrast, the Canadian average of $1,041.83 rose by 0.2 per cent month-over-month and by 3.3 per cent year-over-year.
The federal agency said the earnings hike in Alberta continues an upward trend in the province which began in August.
“Several sectors contributed to the earnings growth, including mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction,” it said.
StatsCan also said Thursday that the number of payroll employees in Alberta fell by 2,800 in October from September but on an annual basis that number was up by 17,200.
Nationally, employment grew by 13,600 from the previous month.
“Year over year, the number of payroll employees increased by 276,000 (+1.6 per cent). Employment grew in most sectors, led by health care and social assistance (+53,000 or +2.7 per cent), professional, scientific and technical services (+46,900 or +5.0 per cent), and educational services (+43,300 or +3.3 per cent). At the same time, payroll employment declined in mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction (-3,800 or -1.8 per cent) and forestry, logging and support (-1,600 or -4.1 per cent),” StatsCan stated.
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