HALIFAX — Atlantic Canada created nearly four times as many low-wage jobs than it did high-wage positions in the past 10 years, according to a study released Tuesday by the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council.
The think-tank defined low-wage jobs as those paying less than the overall average of $40,000 annually. Between 2001 and 2010, the region created 42,000 net new jobs in low-wage industries, with call centres and the retail trade leading the way, the study said. By contrast, only 11,000 net new jobs in high-wage industries were created, mainly because of expansion of the public sector.
Senior economist David Chaundy said that in the private sector, the creation of 14,000 high-wage jobs in construction was not enough to offset the loss of 28,000 positions in manufacturing.