Public and Private Sector Wages : How Does Alberta Compare to the 'Big 3' Provinces?

This research conducts a comprehensive examination of public-private sector wage differentials in Alberta by comparing occupations that have a significant presence in both sectors. The following questions will be addressed: Is there a public-private sector wage premium by occupation in Alberta? How does this compare to any premium in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec? How do public sector wages in these other jurisdictions compare to those in Alberta? The master files of the Labour Force Survey between 2016 and 2018 are used to make these comparisons, and to identify occupations in the public sector in Alberta having premiums or penalties relative to both the private sector in the province and to the public sectors in other provinces. The results show that – while premiums vary widely by occupation – Alberta public sector wages are not outliers compared to the other three large provinces