Payroll employment, earnings and hours

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Non-farm payroll employment increased by 0.1% in February (+8,300). This advance was led by British Columbia, where there were notable job gains in accommodation and food services; investigation and security services; and employment services, all largely associated with the Olympic Games.

Payroll employment in manufacturing posts largest gain in over two years

In manufacturing, payroll employment rose by 11,200 in February, the largest increase for this sector since January 2008. Growth occurred in a number of manufacturing industries, most notably plastic product manufacturing; motor vehicle assembly; bakeries and tortilla manufacturing; agricultural, construction and mining machinery manufacturing; and motor vehicle parts.

Other industries with notable job gains in February were employment services; support activities for mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction; investigation and security services; and business support services.

These gains were partly offset by declines in retail trade, mainly in grocery stores and gasoline stations. There were also declines in educational services.

Stronger growth in weekly earnings since last summer

In February, average weekly earnings, including overtime, of non-farm payroll employees was $843.91, up 2.8% from February 2009. In recent months, the pace of growth in average weekly earnings has accelerated.

Among Canada's largest industrial sectors, growth in average weekly earnings from February 2009 to February 2010 were above average in educational services (+6.4%), manufacturing (+5.6%), and accommodation and food services (+3.8%), while earnings were unchanged in construction.

Year-over-year average weekly earnings, including overtime, rose in every province. Newfoundland and Labrador posted the fastest year-over-year earnings growth in February (+6.8%), followed by Nova Scotia (+3.7%), Ontario (+3.4%) and Saskatchewan (+3.4%).

Comparing the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours and the Labour Force Survey

These data come from the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (SEPH). SEPH is a business survey that provides a detailed portrait of employees by industry. It complements information from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), which is a household survey.

Data on employment, wages and hours derived from these two surveys can differ for a number of reasons.

First, the reference periods are different. LFS data are collected during a "reference week," usually the week following the 15th day of the month. For SEPH, the reference period is an entire month.

The LFS includes people who are self-employed, as well as workers who take unpaid leave. SEPH does not cover these groups. Industry coverage for the LFS is comprehensive; SEPH excludes agriculture, fishing and trapping, and religious organizations.

The two count multiple job holders differently. In the LFS, people with more than one job are counted only once as "employed". SEPH is a count of filled positions on payroll, so each job is counted separately.

Finally, national data produced by the LFS do not include people living in the three territories or on reserves while SEPH does. LFS data are based on where people usually reside. SEPH counts employees in the province or territory where they work, although this has little effect on the comparability at the national level.

Available on CANSIM: tables 281-0023 to 281-0039 and 281-0041 to 281-0046.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2612.

Detailed industry data, data by size of enterprise based on employment, and other labour market indicators will soon be available in the monthly publication Employment, Earnings and Hours (72-002-X, free).

Data on payroll employment, earnings and hours for March will be released on May 26.

For more information, or to order data, contact Client Services (toll-free 1-866-873-8788; 613-951-4090; labour@statcan.gc.ca). To enquire about revisions, or the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Jason Gilmore (613-951-7118), Labour Statistics Division.