Average weekly earnings for Canadian non-farm payroll employees rose 3.4% year-on-year to C$1,337.77 in May 2026, down from a 3.8% increase in April and representing the slowest pace of growth since February. The strongest wage gains were seen in management of companies and enterprises (10%), utilities (9.2%), information and cultural industries (8.3%), retail trade (8.1%), and transportation and warehousing (7.1%). In contrast, average earnings fell in real estate and rental and leasing (-1.8%) and in construction (-0.1%).
Provincially, Nunavut posted the largest annual increase in average weekly earnings (6.6%), followed by Nova Scotia (5.3%), Manitoba (4.8%), British Columbia (4.6%), and Prince Edward Island (4.5%). Newfoundland and Labrador was the only province to record a decline, with earnings down 1.3%.
On a monthly basis, average weekly earnings decreased 0.4% in May. Meanwhile, average weekly hours worked were unchanged at 33.4 hours.
