Employees in British Columbia earned an average of $877 per week in September – more than 8% below the national average of $918, announced Statistics Canada November 27.
British Columbians also worked fewer hours than Canada’s average, but the difference was not enough to explain the discrepancy in earnings. Hourly employees in B.C. worked an average of 29.8 hours per week – almost 4% less than 30.9 hours nationwide. Salaried employees in B.C. were close to the Canadian average, working 36.6 hours compared with 36.9 hours nationwide.
Employees in B.C. earned $8 less per week than in September 2012, but earnings remained the same when compared with August 2013.
Nationwide, earnings increased 1.9% year-over-year, from $901 in September 2012.
The sectors with the highest weekly earnings, across Canada, were:
- mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction: $1,876;
- utilities: $1,597; and
- professional, scientific and technical services: $1,291.
The Northwest Territories continued to have the highest weekly earnings with $1,327, followed by Alberta ($1,115) and the Yukon ($1,030).
