Average Canadian pay nudges up in April

OTTAWA, June 25 (UPI) -- Average weekly earnings for Canadian non-farm payroll employees rose 1.4 percent on an annual basis in April, Statistics Canada reported Thursday.

The average weekly earnings including overtime was $820.53 in April, although the number of people employed was down 51,400 from March, StatsCan said.

"Since the peak in October 2008, the number of employees has fallen every month, bringing total losses over this period to 376,500," the report said. "Job losses occurred in 64 percent of industries, unchanged from a month before."

Most of the monthly decline in jobs was reported in the service sector, particularly in universities, food services and drinking places, and truck transportation.

Among industries that saw payroll increases were healthcare and social assistance, up 5.7 percent and public administration, which rose 1.2 percent, the report said.