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February 28, 2024PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT AND AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS, DECEMBER AND ANNUAL 2023 Monthly (December 2023 vs November 2023, seasonally adjusted)
Nova Scotia had 449,460 payroll employees in December 2023, up 0.1% (+362) compared to November 2023. Canada had 18.03 million employees, up 0.2% from November 2023. There were gains in three provinces, led by Quebec. The largest decline was in Prince Edward Island.
Nova Scotians' average weekly earnings were $1,084.13 in December of 2023, a decrease of $9.59 (-0.9%) from revised November 2023 results.
Nationally, average weekly earnings were $1,211.79, a decrease of 1.1% (-$13.73) from average weekly earnings in November 2023. Two provinces reported gains in average weekly earnings, with the largest gain in Newfoundland and Labrador. Manitoba reported the largest decline.
Nova Scotia's average weekly earnings in December 2023 were second lowest among provinces (ahead of only Prince Edward Island). Alberta reported the highest average weekly earnings.
Nova Scotia's average weekly earnings were highest in professional and technical services, information and culture, company management, and finance and insurance industries. The lowest average weekly earnings were reported in Nova Scotia's accommodations and food service industries, arts, entertainment and recreation, and retail trade.
In December 2023, Nova Scotia's average weekly wages were 89.5% of the national average. Nova Scotia average weekly wages were below the comparable national average for every industry except accommodation/food services and health/social assistance. The smallest gaps were in information/culture and education services. The largest gap was in forestry/logging (77.7% of the national average).
Year-over-year (December 2023 vs December 2022)
Compared with the same month in 2022, Nova Scotia's payroll employment grew by 1.5% (+6,540) in December 2023. This was higher than the national average gain of 1.3%. All provinces reported growth in payroll employment except Newfoundland and Labrador, with the fastest gains in Alberta and British Columbia.
Among the industries reported by Statistics Canada, Nova Scotia's largest industries of employment were health care and social assistance (which includes daycares), followed by retail trade and education.
Forestry and logging as well as real estate/rental/leasing had the fastest year-over-year growth in payroll employment in Nova Scotia. Administrative support/call centers reported the largest percentage decline in payroll employment.
Average weekly wages grew by 5.0% in Nova Scotia from December 2022 to December 2023. This was stronger than the national pace of 3.8%.
Average weekly wages grew by 3.8% across Canada from December 2022 to December 2023. There were gains in each province, with the fastest rise in British Columbia. Alberta and Saskatchewan reported the slowest gains.
Average weekly wages were up 3.5% in Nova Scotia's goods-producing industries and 5.5% in Nova Scotia's services-producing industries. Most of the industries reported year-over-year growth in average weekly wages with the largest increases in accommodation/food services as well as professional/technical services, information/culture, and administrative/support/call centres industries. Average weekly wages were down in real estate/rental/leasing, finance/insurance, and wholesale industries.
Annual (2023 vs 2022)
In 2023, Nova Scotia's payroll employment increased 2.7% over 2022. Across Canada, payroll employment growth was 2.7% with gains in all provinces. Alberta reported the fastest rise in payroll employment while Newfoundland and Labrador reported the slowest growth rate.
In 2023, forestry/logging, arts/entertainment/recreation, as well as construction and company management industries reported the fastest employment growth in percentage terms compared to 2022. Finance/insurance, information/culture, and retail trade reported the percentage declines.
In 2023, Nova Scotia's average weekly earnings increased by 4.7% compared to 2022. National average weekly earnings were up 3.4% in 2023 with gains in all provinces. Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and Prince Edward Island reported the fastest gains in average weekly earnings while Alberta and Saskatchewan reported the slowest rises.
In 2023, manufacturing, accommodation/food services, information/culture reported the fastest percentage gains in average weekly earnings compared to 2022. Public administration and real estate/rental/leasing reported the only percentage declines.
In 2023, Nova Scotia's average weekly earnings were highest in professional/technical services industries. Nova Scotians' average weekly earnings averaged 88.6% of the national value for all industries in 2023. All Nova Scotia industries reported average weekly earnings below their national counterparts. The gaps were narrowest in health/social assistance as well as accommodation/food services and retail trade. Public administration workers in Nova Scotia reported the largest gaps in average weekly earnings compared with the national average for the industry.
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0222-01 Employment, average hourly and weekly earnings (including overtime), and average weekly hours for the industrial aggregate excluding unclassified businesses, monthly, seasonally adjusted; Table 14-10-0223-01 Employment and average weekly earnings (including overtime) for all employees by province and territory, monthly, seasonally adjusted
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