Saskatchewaners now earn more money than Ontarians (no, really)

First, Calgary’s street eats (think truffle-oiled French fries and lamb burgers) trumped Toronto’s. Now, average weekly wages in Saskatchewan have surpassed Ontario’s for the first time. Sakatchewanians earn $906.22 on average, 6.9 per cent more than last year. As for Ontario, weekly wages are falling faster than anywhere else in the country, dropping 1.3 per cent over the same period from $901.16 to $889.13. That puts Ontario’s average wages in fourth place in the country, behind Alberta, the Yukon (seriously) and the Saskies. So what’s the reason for the prairie province’s prosperity? No, the cost of canola hasn’t quadrupled: new industries and steadily rising commodity prices (including those of Saskatchewan’s abundant grains, oil, gas, uranium and potash stores) have seen the province’s status surge to “have” in recent years. Premier Brad Wall is even inviting Ontarians to head west to seek their fortune. Maybe “Saskatchewaner” doesn’t sound so bad after all. Read the entire story [Toronto Star] »