Teaghes Leghesse welds a frame that will be used in a Potash Corp mine at the Supreme Steel Plant in Saskatoon, Sask, Friday, August 20, 2010.Liam Richards
The average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees rose to $855.66 in July, a 3.9 per cent increase from a year earlier and the largest hike since February 2008.
Statistics Canada reports July was the sixth straight month for which the year-over-year increase was at or above 2.5 per cent.
The agency notes year-over-year earnings growth had been below two per cent most of last year.
Growth in average weekly earnings was at or above the national average of 3.9 per cent in several of the largest industrial sectors: accommodation and food services (13.3 per cent); administration and support, waste management and remediation services (9.2 per cent); professional, scientific and technical services (6.3 per cent); manufacturing (5.7 per cent); and retail trade (4.6 per cent).
StatsCan says manufacturing has had one of the most notable shifts in average weekly earnings since the fall of 2009.
Between July 2008 and October 2009, earnings in this sector had declined 6.1 per cent, but they've increased 7.3 per cent since last October to $965.90 in July.
This earnings shift was most notable in paper; machinery; wood products; chemical; and plastics and rubber products manufacturing.
Total hours worked by hourly and salaried employees increased 0.5 per cent in July, the sixth rise in seven months. Average weekly hours worked by hourly and salaried employees was unchanged at 32.9 hours, and was also the same as average hours worked in July 2009.