Public sector employment

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Public sector employment reached 3.2 million in the third quarter of 2008, up 2.8% from the same period in 2007.

Following government cutbacks throughout the 1990s, public sector employment has been growing since 2000. After a pause in 2004, the pace of growth has been increasing over the last four years.

The proportion of public sector workers among the total employed in the labour force rose to 17.6% in the third quarter of 2008, but has remained relatively stable since 2001.

Chart 1
After being stable for many years, the proportion of public sector employment among the total employed labour force showed a small increase in the third quarter of 2008

In the third quarter of 2008, the year-over-year growth rate in the Alberta public sector (+5.7%) continued to outpace other provinces. British Columbia and Ontario ranked second and third respectively.

All major components of public sector employment posted gains in the third quarter of 2008. The main contributors were government business enterprises, with an increase of 19,800 (+6.7%) compared with the same quarter of 2007. Provincial government business enterprises in the western provinces accounted for 40% of this growth.

Employment rose by 2.0% in educational institutions, mainly in universities and colleges (+3.2%) compared with the same quarter of 2007.

In the third quarter of 2008, the growth rate in the local general government (+3.7%) continued to outpace federal (+3.1%) and provincial and territorial (+2.3%) general governments. Since 2000, all three levels of general governments (federal, provincial and territorial and local) had experienced an upward trend.

Health and social services institutions year-over-year employment growth rate has decreased from 3.2% in the third quarter of 2007 to 1.7% in 2008. Alberta has been the main contributor in the employment growth in recent years.

Total public sector wages and salaries rose by 5.3% compared with the same quarter last year.

Note: All historical data in the text refers to the third quarter of every year. The public sector includes all economic entities controlled by government, and is comprised of four major components: federal government (general government, which includes ministries, departments, agencies and non-autonomous funds, autonomous funds and organizations, as well as federal non-autonomous pension plans); provincial and territorial government (general government, which includes ministries, departments, agencies and non-autonomous funds, autonomous funds and organizations, as well as universities and colleges, health and social service institutions, and provincial non-autonomous pension plans); local government (general government, which includes municipalities and non-autonomous funds, autonomous funds and organizations, as well as school boards); and government business enterprises (institutional units controlled by government but that operate as commercial corporations in the marketplace).

Available on CANSIM: tables 183-0002 and 183-0004.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 1713.

For a more detailed description of how public sector employment is defined and reconciled with other information sources, refer to the document entitled Reconciliation of Public Sector Employment Estimates from Multiple Information Sources by clicking on survey number 1713.

Available on CANSIM: tables 183-0021 and 183-0022.

Data tables on public sector employment are also available from the National economic accounts module of our website.

For more information or to order data, contact Client Services (613-951-0767; pid-info-dip@statcan.gc.ca). To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Alain Baril (613-951-4131; alain.baril@statcan.gc.ca), Public Institutions Division.

Table 1
Public sector employment

Public sector employment

Public sector employment reached 3.2 million in the third quarter of 2008, up 2.8% from the same period in 2007.

Following government cutbacks throughout the 1990s, public sector employment has been growing since 2000. After a pause in 2004, the pace of growth has been increasing over the last four years.

The proportion of public sector workers among the total employed in the labour force rose to 17.6% in the third quarter of 2008, but has remained relatively stable since 2001.

Chart 1
After being stable for many years, the proportion of public sector employment among the total employed labour force showed a small increase in the third quarter of 2008

In the third quarter of 2008, the year-over-year growth rate in the Alberta public sector (+5.7%) continued to outpace other provinces. British Columbia and Ontario ranked second and third respectively.

All major components of public sector employment posted gains in the third quarter of 2008. The main contributors were government business enterprises, with an increase of 19,800 (+6.7%) compared with the same quarter of 2007. Provincial government business enterprises in the western provinces accounted for 40% of this growth.

Employment rose by 2.0% in educational institutions, mainly in universities and colleges (+3.2%) compared with the same quarter of 2007.

In the third quarter of 2008, the growth rate in the local general government (+3.7%) continued to outpace federal (+3.1%) and provincial and territorial (+2.3%) general governments. Since 2000, all three levels of general governments (federal, provincial and territorial and local) had experienced an upward trend.

Health and social services institutions year-over-year employment growth rate has decreased from 3.2% in the third quarter of 2007 to 1.7% in 2008. Alberta has been the main contributor in the employment growth in recent years.

Total public sector wages and salaries rose by 5.3% compared with the same quarter last year.

Note: All historical data in the text refers to the third quarter of every year. The public sector includes all economic entities controlled by government, and is comprised of four major components: federal government (general government, which includes ministries, departments, agencies and non-autonomous funds, autonomous funds and organizations, as well as federal non-autonomous pension plans); provincial and territorial government (general government, which includes ministries, departments, agencies and non-autonomous funds, autonomous funds and organizations, as well as universities and colleges, health and social service institutions, and provincial non-autonomous pension plans); local government (general government, which includes municipalities and non-autonomous funds, autonomous funds and organizations, as well as school boards); and government business enterprises (institutional units controlled by government but that operate as commercial corporations in the marketplace).

Available on CANSIM: tables 183-0002 and 183-0004.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 1713.

For a more detailed description of how public sector employment is defined and reconciled with other information sources, refer to the document entitled Reconciliation of Public Sector Employment Estimates from Multiple Information Sources by clicking on survey number 1713.

Available on CANSIM: tables 183-0021 and 183-0022.

Data tables on public sector employment are also available from the National economic accounts module of our website.

For more information or to order data, contact Client Services (613-951-0767; pid-info-dip@statcan.gc.ca). To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Alain Baril (613-951-4131; alain.baril@statcan.gc.ca), Public Institutions Division.

Table 1
Public sector employment