Compared to the month before, seasonally-adjusted average weekly earnings in Alberta edged down by 0.1% in April.

The overall decline, however, masks some large differences across industries.

For example, month-over-month earnings increased by 8.2% in the information and culture sector and by 5.4% in accommodation and food services.

At the other end of the continuum were earnings in business services industries, with the wages of workers in the management of companies and enterprises sector down by 7.9% and in the administrative and support, waste management and remediation services sector by 2.1%.

Down by 2.1%, average earnings in the educational services sector also eroded in April.

Compared to April 2021, average weekly earnings in the province were higher by 2.8%. Consumer prices, however, jumped by 6.3% over the same period.

Five sectors saw year-over-year wages rise faster than inflation: retail (+12.4%), wholesale (+11.3%), manufacturing (+8.5%), professional, scientific and technical services (+7.2%) and construction (+6.4%).

Wages in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector were the farthest behind at 8.4% lower than 12 months earlier.

In Canada as a whole, average weekly earnings rose by 0.2% compared to March 2022 and by 4.0% compared to April 2021.

Answer to the previous trivia question: Rough fescue is the official grass of Alberta.

Today’s trivia question: Do NHL players get a bonus for making the playoffs?