After stagnating through the early part of 2018 wages on P.E.I. saw a recovery in the closing months and ended the year in positive territory.

Seasonally adjusted weekly earnings, as measured by Statistics Canada, bottomed out at $815.52 in July but rose to $850.92 by December, ending the year up 1.8 per cent.

Wages saw a similar pattern in 2017, but the swings were not as pronounced.

The increase for 2018 was slightly below the national average of 1.9 per cent. Pay for Island employees remains the lowest in the country. The national average is $1,011.72.