Canada. Public Sector Employment Up

Public sector employment reached 3.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2008, up by 96,000 or 2.9% over the same period in 2007.

Public sector workers accounted for 19.2% of total employed in the labour force, compared with 18.8% for the same quarter in 2007. This increase was due mainly to slower employment growth in the overall labour force.

Fourth-quarter employment gains in the public sector were concentrated in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta, which accounted for nearly three-quarters of total growth.

The increase in employment was spread among all components of the public sector. The main contributors were government business enterprises, where employment was up 25,000 compared with the same quarter of 2007.

Employment increased 4.7% among local general governments and 3.5% in the federal general government. Both outpaced the growth of 2.2% in provincial general governments. Since 2000, there has been an upward trend in employment for all three levels of general government, with local general government registering the strongest growth.

Employment in educational institutions increased in the fourth quarter, mainly because of gains in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. Employment rose 2.9% in colleges and 1.4% in school boards, with minimal change in universities.

Health and social services institutions had 18,000 more employees in the fourth quarter of 2008. Quebec and Alberta each contributed nearly one-third of this growth.

Total public sector wages and salaries rose by 4.3% compared with the fourth quarter in 2007.

Febr. 20, 2009

~	Conference, Oct. 16, 2024. The War Against the Past: Fighting for our History

~	SLAV - Robert Lepage's Reaction

~	Author and Tolerance.ca Editor, Victor Teboul, Ph.D., to speak at the Arab World Festival of Montreal

~	Iran : Hey Ayatollah, Leave those kids alone! and Pink Floyd's remake

~	UN-backed group supports Somali Government’s peace overtures to rivals

~	Cargo vessel captured near Seychelles is commandeered to Somalia

~	U.S. and Oman Navy Rescue Indian Dhow from Somali Pirates - One Sailor Dead

~	Canada. 50% of tax filers participate in a private retirement savings plan

~	Somali Pirates capture second merchant vessel in 24h

~	Canada. 41% of adults have a high cholesterol level