For the first time ever, people in Saskatchewan on average make more money than people from Ontario.
According to new data from Statistics Canada, Saskatchewan now has the second-highest average wage in the country after Alberta.
Average weekly earnings in the prairie province were $906.22 in September, up 6.9 per cent from the same time last year.
In contrast, Ontario wages dropped 1.3 per cent compared with September 2010 — to $889.13 from $901.16.
The national average declined 0.3 per cent to $872.75 a week.
Saskatchewan's numbers are buoyed by an economy that, in recent years, has been fueled by development of the potash industry and steady expansion in oil and gas extraction.
The numbers represent "very good news" for the province, according to Richard Long, Human Resource and Organizational Behaviour professor at the University of Saskatchewan.
"We've never been as high as we are right now in terms of wages relative to the rest of Canada," Long told the Star Phoenix.
"This means that (Saskatchewan people are) going to be improving their standard of living relative to other parts of Canada."
Ontario, it seems, is going in the opposite direction.
Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said Saskatchewan's good fortune reflects poorly on Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.
"It says we're falling behind," Hudak told the Toronto Star.
"Ontario was always the leader. We're now a have-not province. You need to focus on private-sector job creation, making Ontario open for business investment because these guys are shutting the door," Hudak said, adding the Liberals also have to "reign in runaway government spending."
"Who's going to set up shop in Ontario, where the books are out of order, or Saskatchewan, where they've got their act together."
Average weekly earnings by province (Source: Statistics Canada)
Alberta: $1,042.77
Saskatchewan: $906.22
Ontario: $889.13
Newfoundland and Labrador: $884.66
British Columbia: $843.32
Manitoba: $811.74
Quebec: $802.01
New Brunswick: $790.75
Nova Scotia: $767.05
Prince Edward Island: $745.81
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