Salaries tick higher in November

The average weekly Canadian paycheque was $911 in November, a slight 0.5 per cent gain from the previous month and 3.2 per cent higher than the same time last year.

Statistics Canada data released Wednesday showed non-farm employees earning more, but also working more. The average worker put in a 33.2-hour week,  up from 33.1 the month before and 32.9 in the same month a year ago.

Earnings in the construction industry showed the strongest gains, up 6.6 per cent to $1,172 a week, on average.

As has been the trend for a while now, the largest average weekly paycheque was found in the mining and oil and gas sector, which at $1,875.82 per week was 4.9 per cent higher than last year.

Regionally, all provinces and territories showed gains, with Newfoundland and Labrador posting the largest annual gain, up 5.4 per cent to $941 a week over the past year. The Northwest Territories had the highest average weekly paycheque, at $1,277.31, and among the provinces, Alberta led the way at $1,085.89 a week, on average.

Across Canada, total non-farm payroll employment edged up 3,100 in November, after a decline of 14,800 the previous month. Over the past year, payroll employment has risen by 228,400 or 1.5 per cent.