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September 26, 2019EMPLOYMENT, EARNINGS AND HOURS, JULY 2019 
Nova Scotians' average weekly earnings (including overtime, seasonally adjusted) changed little from June 2019, down 0.1 per cent to $897.61 in July 2019. Average weekly wages were up 2.8 per cent compared with July of last year. Canadians' average weekly wages increased 0.5 per cent month to month ($1,026.96 in July) and were 2.7 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 increased 0.5 per cent, with increases in 5 of 10 provinces. Compared to the previous month, Prince Edward Island (+1.2 per cent) and Ontario (+1.0 per cent) had the largest increases in July, while Alberta had the largest decline (-0.7 per cent).
Compared to a year ago, average wages are higher in all provinces, with the largest increases in percentage terms reported in Prince Edward Island (+4.9 per cent), Quebec (+3.9 per cent) and Ontario (+3.1 per cent).
Comparing the first seven months of 2019 with the same period in 2018, average weekly earnings have increased 3.6 per cent in Nova Scotia, the fastest growth among the provinces. Nationally, average weekly earnings have increased 2.3 per cent year-to-date.
In January-July 2019 (compared to January-July 2018), average weekly earnings are up 4.3 per cent in Nova Scotia's goods producing sectors. Goods sector wages were up for manufacturing and construction sectors; data for the other goods sectors are suppressed. Service sector earnings were up 3.5 per cent in the first seven months of 2019. Service sector earnings increased the most in percentage terms in professional, scientific and technical services (+7.4 per cent), finance and insurance (+7.1 per cent) and administration and support services (+6.9 per cent). There have been declines in average weekly earnings in arts, entertainment and recreation (-3.4 per cent), and accommodation and food services (-0.5 per cent).
EMPLOYMENT
Nova Scotia had 424,238 payroll employees in July, up 0.6 per cent compared to last month, and up 2.6 per cent compared to last July. Canada had 17.0 million employees, up 0.4 per cent from last month and up 2.3 per cent compared to a year ago.
Nova Scotia's payroll employment has been trending upwards since 2017.
Compared to the first seven months of 2018, Nova Scotia's payroll employment is up 2.4 per cent, year-to-date. Nationally, payroll employment is up 2.2 per cent in January-July 2019, with all provinces reporting increases during this period. The fastest payroll employment growth has been observed in Prince Edward Island (+3.8 per cent), followed by New Brunswick (+3.0 per cent) and British Columbia (+2.8 per cent).
REFERENCE TABLES - (January-July 2019 vs January-July 2018)
Source: Statistics Canada
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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