Wages & Hours
Source: Statistics Canada
- Operating expenses on non-family wages have more than doubled from 2012 to 2022, indicating a consistent trend towards increasing reliance on non-family labour.
- While family wages have experienced fluctuations, there is an overall trend of increase, particularly noticeable in 2022.
- In 2022, expenses on non-family wages vastly outstrip those on family wages, suggesting that non-family labour has become a more dominant expense for agricultural operations.
- By 2022, the expense on non-family wages is nearly three times that of family wages, highlighting a substantial shift towards hired labour in the agricultural sector.
- The increasing costs associated with non-family wages could indicate higher labour costs in general or the need for more hired labour due to the expansion of agricultural operations.
- The significant rise in non-family wage expenses over the decade suggests potential structural changes within the agricultural sector.
Source: Statistics Canada
- From 2012 to 2022, both the average and median agricultural hourly wages in Nova Scotia increased.
- The average hourly wage rate rose more sharply after 2018, peaking at $18.97 in 2022.
- The median hourly wage rate had steadier growth, reaching $15 in 2022.
- The growing gap between the average and median wage rates suggests increasing wage disparity.
Source: Statistics Canada
- The agricultural sector in Nova Scotia consistently paid lower hourly wages than the all-industries average from 2012 to 2022.
- Agriculture wage rates increased by approximately $5.26, from $13.71 in 2012 to $18.97 in 2022.
- The all-industries average hourly wage saw a larger increase of about $6.31, from $21.13 in 2012 to $27.44 in 2022.
- The wage gap between agriculture and all industries widened over time, suggesting that agricultural wage growth did not keep pace with the overall market.
- Despite increases, agricultural wages remained below the province-wide average by about $8.47 in 2022.
Source: Statistics Canada
- Over the period from 2012 to 2022, Nova Scotia’s agricultural hourly wages were consistently lower than the Canadian average for the sector.
- The gap between Nova Scotia’s agricultural wages and the national average narrowed from 2012 ($2.10) to 2014 ($1.52), then widened again by 2022 ($2.78).
- Nova Scotia’s agricultural wages saw a $5.26 increase over the decade, while the national average increased by $5.94.
- In 2022, the average agricultural wage in Nova Scotia reached $18.97, compared to the national average of $21.75.
- This indicates that Nova Scotia’s agricultural wage growth lags the national average growth.
Source: Statistics Canada
- Full-time employees in Nova Scotia’s agricultural sector consistently earned more than part-time employees from 2012 to 2022.
- The wage gap between full-time and part-time workers increased, with full-time wages rising from $14.09 to $19.42 and part-time from $12.36 to $17.33.
- Part-time wages as a percentage of full-time wages decreased slightly from approximately 87.7% in 2012 to 89.2% in 2022.
- The most significant year-over-year increase for full-time wages was between 2017 and 2018, while for part-time, it was between 2021 and 2022.
Source: Statistics Canada
- Male employees in Nova Scotia’s agricultural sector earned more on average than female employees from 2012 to 2022.
- The wage gap narrowed in some years, with female wages briefly surpassing male wages in 2016.
- As of 2022, the average hourly wage for males was $19.94, and $17.43 for females.
- The wage gap between genders in 2022 was $2.51, showing a decrease from the $4.64 gap in 2015.
- There was a general trend of converging wages until 2018, after which male wages increased at a higher rate.
- Workers in the agricultural sector in Nova Scotia consistently worked more hours on average than those in all industries from 2018 to 2022.
- The agricultural sector saw a high of 43.6 hours in 2019 and a low of 42.7 hours in 2021, with a slight increase to 43.2 hours in 2022.
- In comparison, all industries reported fewer hours worked, peaking at 35.6 hours in 2018 and decreasing to 35.3 hours by 2022.
- The data indicates that the agricultural sector demands longer working hours than the aggregate of all industries.
Source: Statistics Canada
- In Nova Scotia’s agricultural sector, crop production consistently required more labour hours than animal production from 2018 to 2022.
- The total hours worked in crop production peaked in 2020 at just over 6,196.9 thousand hours, followed by a slight decline.
- Animal production showed a steady decrease in hours worked, from just under 5,500 thousand hours in 2018 to 4,692.30 thousand hours in 2022.
- By 2022, the gap in total hours worked between crop production and animal production had widened, with crop production reaching 5,850.40 thousand hours.
Designations | Average Wage | Wage Range | Median |
General Farm labourer | 17.61 | 13.60 – 30 | 16.00 |
Harvesting Labourer | 17.36 | 13.60 – 30 | 16.00 |
Office Worker/Administrator | 23.38 | 13.75 – 35 | 22.50 |
Middle Management | 25.52 | 15.0 – 48.50 | 25.00 |
Farm Owner/Operator | 25.58 | 15 – 50 | 25.00 |
Source: NSFA Labour Market Information Workforce Insight Survey 2023
- The survey results show that general farm labourers and harvesters earn around $17 on average, with both roles sharing similar wage profiles due to their entry-level nature.
- Office workers and administrators earn more, averaging $23.38, reflecting the responsibilities of administrative roles.
- Middle managers earn over $25 on average, with a broader wage range, highlighting their greater responsibility and expertise.
- Farm owners/operators have wages like middle managers but with the widest range, varying with farm size and profitability.