We made more in March, according to Statistics Canada. Figures released this morning show that from February to March 2011, average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees increased 0.5% to $876.53. On a year-over-year basis, average weekly earnings were 4.1% higher compared with March 2010.
Some of the 4.1% growth in weekly earnings was attributable to a 0.3% increase in the average number of hours worked per week to 33.0 hours. The remainder reflects other factors, such as wage growth and changes in the composition of employment by industry, by occupation and by level of job experience.
Average weekly earnings increased in every province in the 12 months to March. Growth was above the national average in Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta and Quebec. Nova Scotia had the slowest growth at 2.1%.
The nation's number-crunchers add growth in average weekly earnings was above the national average of 4.1% in 5 of the 10 largest industrial sectors, led by wholesale trade and manufacturing. The slowest growth in earnings occurred in educational services.
Average weekly earnings in wholesale trade increased 6.3% in the 12 months to March, to $1,082.34. Growth in this sector was most notable in industries such as petroleum product wholesaling; wholesale electronic markets, agents and brokers; and building material and supplies.
With the second-fastest year-over-year growth in average weekly earnings, the gains in manufacturing are part of a long-term upward trend.
Year-over-year growth in average weekly earnings was also above the national average in some smaller industries such as finance and insurance (+7.6% to $1,107.52) and transportation and warehousing (+7.5% to $926.88).
Weekly earnings in finance and insurance have been rising since June 2010, particularly among insurance carriers and credit intermediation (such as banks and sales financing). In transportation and warehousing, earnings have been increasing since January 2010, mainly in postal, courier and messenger services, rail transportation as well as transit and ground passenger transportation.
