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February 27, 2025PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT AND AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS, DECEMBER AND ANNUAL 2024 Monthly (December 2024 vs November 2024, seasonally adjusted)
Nova Scotia had 461,177 payroll employees in December 2024, up 0.64% (+2,931) compared to November 2024. Canada had 18.21 million employees, up 0.14% from November 2024. There were gains in seven provinces, led by Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Manitoba reported the fastest decline.
Nova Scotians' average weekly earnings were $1,135.67 in December of 2024, a decline of $9.04 (-0.79%) from November 2024.
Nationally, average weekly earnings were $1,290.82, an increase of 0.41% (+$5.21) from average weekly earnings in November 2024. Seven provinces reported increases in average weekly earnings, with the largest increase in New Brunswick. The fastest decline was reported in Nova Scotia.
Nova Scotia's average weekly earnings in December 2024 were second lowest among provinces, ahead of Prince Edward Island. Alberta reported the highest average weekly earnings.
Nova Scotia's average weekly earnings were highest in finance/insurance, information/culture, professional/technical services, and company management industries. The lowest average weekly earnings were reported in Nova Scotia's accommodations/food service industries, retail trade, and arts/entertainment/recreation.
In December 2024, Nova Scotia's average weekly wages were 88.0% of the national average. Nova Scotia average weekly wages were below the comparable national average for every industry, with the smallest gaps reported for health/social assistance and accommodation/food services. The largest gap reported was in forestry/logging (73.4% of the national average).
Year-over-year (December 2024 vs December 2023)
Compared with the same month in 2023, Nova Scotia's payroll employment grew by 2.4% (+10,733) in December 2024. This was faster than the national average gain of 0.9%. All provinces reported growth in payroll employment with the fastest gain in Prince Edward Island. British Columbia and Manitoba reported the slowest gains.
Among the industries reported on by Statistics Canada, Nova Scotia's largest industries of employment were health care/social assistance (which includes daycares), followed by retail trade and education.
Real estate/leasing as well as construction had the fastest year-over-year growth in payroll employment in Nova Scotia. Forestry/logging reported the largest percentage decline in payroll employment.
Average weekly wages grew by 4.7% in Nova Scotia from December 2023 to December 2024. This was weaker than the national pace of 5.8%.
Average weekly wages grew by 5.8% across Canada from December 2023 to December 2024. There were gains in each province, with the fastest increase in Prince Edward Island. Manitoba reported the slowest gain.
Average weekly wages were up 4.0% in Nova Scotia's goods-producing industries and up 4.9% in Nova Scotia's services-producing industries. All of the reported industries except education, forestry/logging, and professional/technical/scientific services had year-over-year growth in average weekly wages with the largest increases in wholesale trade, finance/insurance, real estate/leasing, and personal/repair services.
Annual (2024 vs 2023)
In 2024, Nova Scotia's payroll employment increased 1.9% over 2023, the largest gain among provinces (tied with Alberta). Across Canada, payroll employment growth was 1.0% with gains in all provinces except Newfoundland and Labrador.
In 2024, construction as well as health care/social assistance industries reported the fastest employment growth in percentage terms compared to 2023. Administrative support/call centres, forestry/logging, and transportation reported the largest percentage declines.
In 2024, Nova Scotia's average weekly earnings increased by 5.0% compared to 2023. National average weekly earnings were up 4.5% in 2024 with gains in all provinces. Prince Edward Island reported the fastest gain in average weekly earnings while Alberta and Manitoba reported the slowest growth.
In 2024, information/culture, wholesale trade, and health care/social assistance reported the fastest percentage gains in average weekly earnings compared to 2023. The only decline reported was in education.
In 2024, Nova Scotia's average weekly earnings were highest in professional/technical services industries followed by information/culture. Nova Scotians' average weekly earnings averaged 89.0% of the national value for all industries in 2024. All Nova Scotia industries reported average weekly earnings below their national counterparts with the exception of health care/social assistance. The gaps were narrowest in accommodation/food services as well as retail trade. Public administration workers in Nova Scotia reported the largest gap in average weekly earnings compared with the national average for the industry.
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0222-01 Employment, average hourly and weekly earnings (including overtime), and average weekly hours for the industrial aggregate excluding unclassified businesses, monthly, seasonally adjusted; Table 14-10-0223-01 Employment and average weekly earnings (including overtime) for all employees by province and territory, monthly, seasonally adjusted
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