Fraser Institute News Release: Wages and salaries lower in every province compared to all 50 U.S. states including Mississippi and Louisiana


VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The median employment earnings—wages, salaries and self-employment income—of workers were lower in every Canadian province than in every state in the United States, finds a new study published today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

“Canadian workers earn less compared to American workers, regardless of the province or state,” commented Alex Whalen, senior policy analyst at the Fraser Institute and co-author of Our Incomes Are Falling Behind: Earnings in the Canadian Provinces and U.S. States, 2010-2022.

Specifically, among the 10 provinces and 50 U.S. states, median employment earnings in 2022 (the latest year of available data), stated in Canadian dollars, were lowest in Prince Edward Island ($28,784), followed by New Brunswick, ($32,175), Nova Scotia ($32,178), Newfoundland and Labrador ($32,713), Manitoba ($33,221), Saskatchewan ($34,932), Quebec ($36,430), Ontario ($36,749), British Columbia ($37,801) and Alberta ($38,969).

Consequently, every province trailed every state including states such as Mississippi ($42,430), Louisiana ($43,318) and top-ranked Maryland ($52,192).

“Canadians should want to know why workers in states such as Mississippi and Louisiana make more money than workers here at home,” Whalen said.

“In light of the close connection between incomes and living standards, policymakers in Ottawa and every province should make economic growth a top priority.”

MEDIA CONTACT:
Alex Whalen, Senior Policy Analyst, Fraser Institute

MEDIA CONTACT:
To arrange media interviews or for more information, please contact:
Mark Hasiuk, Senior Media Relations Specialist, 604-688-0221 ext. 517,
mark.hasiuk@fraserinstitute.org

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The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax, and ties to a global network of think-tanks in 87 countries. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for Canadians, their families and future generations by studying, measuring and broadly communicating the effects of government policies, entrepreneurship and choice on their well-being. To protect the Institute’s independence, it does not accept grants from governments or contracts for research. Visit www.fraserinstitute.org