novascotia.ca - Nova Scotia Canada - Government of Nova Scotia

For additional information relating to this article, please contact:

Thomas Storring	Director – Economics and Statistics
Tel: 902-424-2410	Email: Thomas.Storring@novascotia.ca

August 29, 2014
COMPENSATION OF EMPLOYEES Q2 2014

Nova Scotia's seasonally adjusted employee compensation (wages+salaries+employer social contributions) declined by 0.4 per cent in the second quarter to $5.33 billion, but compared to the second quarter of 2013 compensation was up 2.9 per cent. Wages and salaries increased 0.5 per cent in the quarter to $4.57 billion, a 2.9 per cent increase compared to 2013 Q2. Employers' social contributions were down 5.5 per cent to $758 million after an increases of 7.4 per cent in the previous quarter.



On a year-to-date basis (Jan-June), employee compensation increased 2.1 per cent with wages and salaries increasing 2.0 per cent and employer's social contributions up 2.7 per cent. On a quarter to quarter (2014Q2 vs. 2014Q1, seasonally adjusted) comparison, three provinces had negative growth in compensation: Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and British Columbia. All provinces had higher year-over-year growth (2014Q2 vs. 2014Q1) and year-to-date growth with the fastest growth occurring in Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador .




Over the first half of the year, total wages and salaries reported by sector (excluding social insurance contributions, not seasonally adjusted) increased in both goods-producing (+2.7%) and services-producing(+2.0%) industries compared to the same period last year. Across all industries, wages and salaries are up $191.4 million for Jan-June 2014. Compared to last year, agriculture, forestry, and fishing (+21.8%) and mining and oil and gas extraction(+16.1%) had the fastest pace of growth. Among the private services-producing industries all areas grew, led by gains in trade (+$41.1 million) and finance and real estate (+$31.0 million). Gains occurred for education services (+3.7%), health care (+6.3%), provincial public administration (+4.3%), and local public admin (+2.8%). Offsetting the gains occurring in most sectors, were declines in military (-14.8%) , federal public administration (-2.8%) and manufacturing (-0.7%).




Note: The employee of compensation data is not adjusted for trading days or pay periods.

Source: CANSIM table 382-0006