While B.C. wages grew at just above the Canadian average rate last year, the province's wages still lag the country, according to Statistics Canada.
Data released by the nation's number-cruncher this morning shows that B.C.'s average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees reached $877.57 in December 2012, up from $853.20 in December 2011.
However, although that 2.9% increase in B.C. is marginally ahead of Canada's 2.8% average increase for the year, B.C. wages still trail much of the country.
In December 2012, the average weekly wages in Canada were $908.35. B.C.'s wages trailed earnings in:
- the Northwest Territories ($1,298.04)
- Alberta ($1,093.58);
- the Yukon ($1,002.47);
- Nunavut ($967.73);
- Newfoundland and Labrador ($936.04);
- Saskatchewan ($936.00); and
- Ontario ($919.11).
B.C.'s wages outperformed only Manitoba ($842.10), Quebec ($832.07), New Brunswick ($817.53), Nova Scotia ($809.29) and P.E.I. ($750.36).
A recent Conference Board of Canada report forecast more bad news for B.C.: the province's 2013 wage gains are expected to trail the country.
