Wages in Alberta continued to rise in March, but remained timid compared to soaring consumer prices.

Average weekly earnings (including overtime) increased at the fastest pace in five months, rising by 3.2% in March, relative to a year ago. While this was a notable gain, it was about half of the headline inflation rate of 6.5% posted for the same month.

Across sectors, the largest year-over-year gains (on a percentage basis) were in utilities (+11.3%) and construction (+8.3%) while arts, entertainment and recreation (-12.8%) and health care and social assistance (-3.4%) stood at the other end of the spectrum.

Over the first three months of the year, Alberta’s average wages grew 1.9% while the inflation rate averaged 5.6%.

It was a similar story elsewhere in the country. Average year-to-date earnings in Canada were up by 2.8% versus an average inflation rate of 5.8%.

Earnings went up in every province in March, led by New Brunswick (+7.0%) and Quebec (+6.8%).

Answer to the previous trivia question: Old Navy is the clothing store owned by Gap Inc. that opened its first three stores in 1994 in California.

Today’s trivia question: Which country has the smallest economy in the world as measured by annual GDP?