Average Canadian weekly pay dips

The average Canadian weekly pay fell 0.5 percent, or about $5 in September to $902 from a month earlier, Statistics Canada reported Wednesday. Despite the monthly dip, non-farm payroll earnings on a 12-month basis were up 3.4 percent, the report said. "In September, the average hours worked per week was 33, unchanged from 12 months earlier, and down from 33.1 in August," StatsCan said. On an annual basis, earnings in three of the largest sectors outpaced the 3.4 percent increase. Manufacturing weekly pay was up 5.7 percent to $1,026.45, weekly earnings in retail trade rose 4.7 percent to $530.10 and weekly pay in professional, scientific and technical services rose 4 percent to $1,276.62, the report said. Regionally on an annual basis, average weekly pay rose in all 10 provinces. "Alberta continued to have the highest earnings in the country, at $1,085.22, which was 4 percent above the level in September 2011," the agency said.