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Employers to deliver modest wage increases in 2010: survey

Canadians hoping to get a big boost in their paycheques next year may be somewhat disappointed, a survey of employers by Hewitt Associates suggests.

Canadians hoping to get a big boost in their paycheques next year may be somewhat disappointed, a survey of employers by Hewitt Associates suggests.

The human resources consulting firm says the average salary increase is projected to be 2.8 per cent nationally in 2010, an increase from 2.2 per cent in 2009, when many companies made major cuts to their salary budgets. Some provinces will fare better than others, the firm suggested.

The survey found that businesses in Manitoba project an average increase of 3.2 per cent, while firms in Alberta are expecting a three per cent boost. On the lower end were Ontario and British Columbia, both projecting a 1.7 per cent increase. Those provinces have been impacted by underperforming manufacturing and forestry sectors.

Jeff Vathje, Hewitt’s Calgary-based national compensation leader, says the results show a feeling of guarded optimism among Canadian employers. The survey was conducted in June and July with 387 companies across the country which represent more than 710,000 employees.