Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

B.C. wages rise faster than rest of Canada

Wages in B.C. rose 1.7% in September compared with the same month a year earlier, according to Statistics Canada data released November 24. In the rest of Canada, the jump was only 1.1%, according to the nation’s number cruncher.

Wages in B.C. rose 1.7% in September compared with the same month a year earlier, according to Statistics Canada data released November 24. In the rest of Canada, the jump was only 1.1%, according to the nation’s number cruncher.

Those wages were for a wide range of sectors, including goods- and service-producing industries.

The biggest jump in wages for British Columbians came in the forestry, logging and support sectors: 14.5%

Other sectors positing large increases included information and cultural industries (9%), professional, scientific and technical services (6.7%) and ultilities (6.4%).

The sectors where workers had the lowest raises were:

  • finance and insurance (-2.4%);
  • accommodation and food services (-0.3%); and
  • arts, entertainment and recreation (0.3%)

Canada-wide, forestry workers similarly saw the biggest wage increases (10.4%). They were followed by construction workers (5.2%), professional, scientific and technical services (4.6%) and ultilities (4.5%).

Those who work in finance fared worse in the rest of Canada than in B.C. Canada-wide, their wages fell an average of 5.2% in September compared with September 2010.

GlenKorstrom

@GlenKorstrom

[email protected]