Source: Statistics Canada

  1. 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.
  2. While family wages have experienced fluctuations, there is an overall trend of increase, particularly noticeable in 2022.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. The significant rise in non-family wage expenses over the decade suggests potential structural changes within the agricultural sector.

Source: Statistics Canada

  1. From 2012 to 2022, both the average and median agricultural hourly wages in Nova Scotia increased.
  2. The average hourly wage rate rose more sharply after 2018, peaking at $18.97 in 2022.
  3. The median hourly wage rate had steadier growth, reaching $15 in 2022.
  4. The growing gap between the average and median wage rates suggests increasing wage disparity.

Source: Statistics Canada

  1. The agricultural sector in Nova Scotia consistently paid lower hourly wages than the all-industries average from 2012 to 2022.
  2. Agriculture wage rates increased by approximately $5.26, from $13.71 in 2012 to $18.97 in 2022.
  3. The all-industries average hourly wage saw a larger increase of about $6.31, from $21.13 in 2012 to $27.44 in 2022.
  4. The wage gap between agriculture and all industries widened over time, suggesting that agricultural wage growth did not keep pace with the overall market.
  5. Despite increases, agricultural wages remained below the province-wide average by about $8.47 in 2022.

Source: Statistics Canada

  1. Over the period from 2012 to 2022, Nova Scotia’s agricultural hourly wages were consistently lower than the Canadian average for the sector.
  2. 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).
  3. Nova Scotia’s agricultural wages saw a $5.26 increase over the decade, while the national average increased by $5.94.
  4. In 2022, the average agricultural wage in Nova Scotia reached $18.97, compared to the national average of $21.75.
  5. This indicates that Nova Scotia’s agricultural wage growth lags the national average growth.

Source: Statistics Canada

  1. Full-time employees in Nova Scotia’s agricultural sector consistently earned more than part-time employees from 2012 to 2022.
  2. 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.
  3. Part-time wages as a percentage of full-time wages decreased slightly from approximately 87.7% in 2012 to 89.2% in 2022.
  4. 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

  1. Male employees in Nova Scotia’s agricultural sector earned more on average than female employees from 2012 to 2022.
  2. The wage gap narrowed in some years, with female wages briefly surpassing male wages in 2016.
  3. As of 2022, the average hourly wage for males was $19.94, and $17.43 for females.
  4. The wage gap between genders in 2022 was $2.51, showing a decrease from the $4.64 gap in 2015.
  5. There was a general trend of converging wages until 2018, after which male wages increased at a higher rate.
  1. Workers in the agricultural sector in Nova Scotia consistently worked more hours on average than those in all industries from 2018 to 2022.
  2. 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.
  3. In comparison, all industries reported fewer hours worked, peaking at 35.6 hours in 2018 and decreasing to 35.3 hours by 2022.
  4. The data indicates that the agricultural sector demands longer working hours than the aggregate of all industries.

Source: Statistics Canada

  1. In Nova Scotia’s agricultural sector, crop production consistently required more labour hours than animal production from 2018 to 2022.
  2. The total hours worked in crop production peaked in 2020 at just over 6,196.9 thousand hours, followed by a slight decline.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
DesignationsAverage WageWage RangeMedian
 General Farm labourer17.6113.60 – 3016.00
 Harvesting Labourer17.3613.60 – 3016.00
Office Worker/Administrator23.3813.75 – 3522.50
 Middle Management25.5215.0 – 48.5025.00
 Farm Owner/Operator25.5815 – 5025.00

       Source: NSFA Labour Market Information Workforce Insight Survey 2023

  1. 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.
  2. Office workers and administrators earn more, averaging $23.38, reflecting the responsibilities of administrative roles.
  3. Middle managers earn over $25 on average, with a broader wage range, highlighting their greater responsibility and expertise.
  4. Farm owners/operators have wages like middle managers but with the widest range, varying with farm size and profitability.