Alberta leads country in average wages and wage growth

The average weekly paycheque in Alberta is up 4.3 per cent between February of last year and this year, the second highest jump in the country.

Alberta's overallincrease, bested only byQuebecwith a 4.4 per cent rise,means the average Albertan is earning $1,158 each week.

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Those earnings are morethanany other province.

"Earnings in the province have been on an upward trend since March2017," reads an update from Statistics Canada.

"Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction contributed the most to the year-over-year growth, rising10.7 per cent."

Those in that sector earned an average weekly income of $2,248.

The update, however, notes the sector hasn't reached the highs of August 2014, prior to the collapse of global oil prices.

Alberta also led the country in the growth of public administration wages, which rose 3.6 per cent year-over-year to $1,290.

The national average was an increase of 3.4 per cent, with weekly earnings of $997.

The figures do not include farm workers.

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