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January 30, 2020EMPLOYMENT, EARNINGS AND HOURS, NOVEMBER 2019 
Nova Scotians' average weekly earnings (including overtime, seasonally adjusted) increased 0.3 per cent ($2.37) from October to $924.20 in November 2019. Average weekly wages were up 4.2 per cent compared with November 2018. Canadians' average weekly wages decreased 0.3 per cent month to month ($1,041.79 in November) and were 3.1 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, there were monthly decreases in every province except Saskatchewan (+0.5 per cent) and Nova Scotia (+0.3 per cent). Compared to the previous month, Newfoundland and Labrador (-1.3 per cent) and Alberta (-1.1 per cent) had the largest declines in average weekly earnings.
Compared to a year ago, average wages are higher in all provinces, with the largest increases in percentage terms reported in Quebec (+4.3 per cent) and Nova Scotia (+4.2 per cent). The slowest year-over-year growth in average weekly earnings was observed in Newfoundland and Labrador (+2.3 per cent) and Manitoba (+2.5 per cent).
Comparing the first eleven months of 2019 with the same period in 2018, average weekly earnings have increased 3.8 per cent in Nova Scotia, the fastest growth among the provinces. Nationally, average weekly earnings have increased 2.6 per cent year-to-date.
In January-November 2019, average weekly earnings are up 4.8 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 average earnings were up 3.6 per cent in the first eleven months of 2019. Service sector earnings increased the most in percentage terms in real estate (+8.2 per cent), professional, scientific and technical services (+6.7 per cent), administration and support services (+6.5 per cent), health care (+5.8 per cent) and finance and insurance (+5.2 per cent).
EMPLOYMENT
Nova Scotia had 426,812 payroll employees in November, a drop of 0.03 per cent compared to last month, and up 2.8 per cent compared to last November. Canada had 17.0 million employees, down 0.1 per cent from last month and up 1.5 per cent compared to a year ago.
Nova Scotia's payroll employment has been trending upwards since 2017.
Compared to the first eleven months of 2018, Nova Scotia's payroll employment is up 2.4 per cent from the same months in 2018. Nationally, payroll employment is up 2.1 per cent in January-November, with all provinces reporting increases during this period. The fastest payroll employment growth has been observed in Prince Edward Island (+3.4 per cent), followed by Quebec (+2.7 per cent). The slowest growth in payroll employment was observed in Newfoundland and Labrador (+0.7 per cent), Manitoba (+1.0 per cent) and Alberta (+1.0 per cent).
In January-November 2019, payroll employment was up 2.0 per cent in Nova Scotia's goods producing sectors. Goods sector payroll employment was up for both manufacturing and construction sectors (data for the other goods sectors are suppressed). Service sector employment was up 2.5 per cent in the first eleven months of 2019. Service sector payroll employment increased the most in percentage terms in company management (+4.8 per cent), arts/entertainment/recreation (+4.2 per cent), health care (+4.1 per cent) and real estate/leasing (+3.8 per cent). There were payroll employment declines observed in information/cultural industries (-1.3 per cent) as well as in administration/support services (-1.6 per cent).
REFERENCE TABLES - (January-November 2019 vs January-November 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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