Payroll earnings increased in April from March: StatsCan

Average weekly earnings up 0.7 per cent

Non-farm payroll employees increased 0.7 per cent from March to April, according to Statistics Canada.

Average weekly earnings increased to $876.44. Compared with April 2010, average weekly earnings were 3.5 per cent higher in April 2011, according to “The Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours” from the June 30 edition of The Daily.

The 3.5 per cent growth in average weekly earnings from April 2010 to April 2011 can be attributed to a number of factors in addition to wage growth including changes in the composition of employment by industry, by occupation and level of job experience.

The average number of hours worked per week was unchanged from April 2010 at 32.9 hours.

Average weekly earnings increased in every province from April 2010 to April 2011. Growth was well above the national average in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador. Growth was the slowest in Prince Edward Island.

In six of the 10 largest industrial sectors, growth in average weekly earnings was above the national average of 3.5 per cent. Sectors leading this growth were health care and social assistance and manufacturing. The slowest growth in earnings was in construction and retail trade.

Average weekly earnings increased by 6.9 per cent to $817.54 in health care and social assistance. In manufacturing, earnings increased by 6.3 per cent to $989.66.

The average weekly hours worked fell 0.3 per cent from March to April. Compared with April 2010, the average work week was unchanged at 32.9 hours.

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