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April 25, 2019EMPLOYMENT, EARNINGS AND HOURS, FEBRUARY 2019 
Nova Scotians' average weekly earnings (including overtime, seasonally adjusted) decreased by $10.16 per week (-1.1 per cent) from January 2019 to $884.92 in February 2019. Average weekly wages were up 2.2 per cent compared with February of last year. Canadians' average weekly wages decreased 0.3 per cent month to month ($1,007.40 in February) and were 1.1 per cent higher than they were a year ago.
Changes in average weekly earnings reflect wage growth, changes in the composition of employment by industry/occupation/experience; and average hours worked per week.
Across the country, monthly average weekly wages decreased 0.3 per cent, with declines in nine provinces. Compared to a year ago, average wages are higher in seven provinces and lower in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, and Alberta. The largest increase in percentage terms was reported in Manitoba, at +2.7 per cent.
Comparing the first two months of 2019 with first two months of 2018, average weekly earnings have increased 3.5 per cent in Nova Scotia, highest among the provinces. Nationally, average weekly earnings have increased 1.5 per cent year-to-date with Alberta (-0.3 per cent) reporting the only decline.
In Jan-Feb 2019 (compared to Jan-Feb 2018), average weekly earnings are essentially unchanged Nova Scotia's goods producing sectors. Goods sector wages were up for manufacturing and construction sectors; data for the other goods sectors is suppressed. Service sector earnings were up 4.4 per cent for January-February 2019. Service sector earnings increased the most in percentage terms in the Administrative and Support Services category. There have been declines in average weekly earnings in Arts, Entertainment and Recreation, and other services (except public administration).
EMPLOYMENT
Nova Scotia had 419,317 payroll employees in February , up 0.4 per cent compared to last month, and up 2.0 per cent compared to last February. Canada had 16.9 million employees, up 0.2 per cent from last month and up 2.5 per cent compared to a year ago.
Nova Scotia's payroll employment has been generally trending upwards since 2014.
Compared to January-February of 2018, payroll employment is up 2.5 per cent across Canada. The fastest payroll employment growth has been observed in Prince Edward Island (+4.2 per cent) and New Brunswick and British Columbia (both +3.1 per cent).
REFERENCE TABLES - (January-February 2019 vs January-February 2018)
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Employment, Payroll, and Hours. Table 14-10-0223-01, 14-10-0222-01
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