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    5% real salary growth for Québec government employees in the 2010s

    Montréal, September 13, 2022. – The average annual salary of Québec government employees (in the Québec public service and the public education and health and social services networks) increased from $58,798 to $61,835 in 2019–2020 constant dollars between 2009–2010 and 2019–2020, a 5.2% increase when changes in the consumer price index (CPI) are taken into account. This finding comes from the Étude sur l’évolution du pouvoir d’achat des salariés de l’administration québécoise durant la décennie 2010 made public today by the Institut de la statistique du Québec.

    When overtime pay and bonuses are added to salaries, real growth reaches almost 9.0% over this period. The overall cost of compensation, which includes salary, overtime pay, bonuses and benefits, rose by 10.1% in real terms. In current dollars, the overall cost of compensation grew by 27.6% during this decade.

    Overall cost by component, Québec government employees,1 2009–2010 and 2019–2020.


    Compensation component 2009-2010 2019-2020 Growth
     
      Constants dollars2 %

    Salary 58 798 61 835 5.2
    Salary plus additional compensation and bonuses 62 111 67 491 8.7
    Overall cost of compensation3 73 386 80 792 10.1

    1. Comprises the Québec public service and the public education and health and social services networks.
    2. These figures take inflation into account. CPI is calculated based on monthly averages from July to June (2019–2020 = 100). This choice was determined by the reference period of compensation data for Québec government employees. CPI growth between 2009–2010 and 2019–2020 was 15.9%.
    3. Sum of “Salary”, “Additional compensation and bonuses” and “Benefits”.

    Source: Secrétariat du Conseil du trésor du Québec. Compilation: Institut de la statistique du Québec.

    The report also presents results for 11 job categories. Real growth in the overall cost of compensation was positive for every category during the 2010s, as it was for Québec government employees as a whole. Increases ranged from 5.4% for technicians and office employees to 19.6% for nursing assistants.

    Comparison with all Québec employees

    The study also compares the compensation of Québec government employees with that of all employees in Québec. From 2009 to 2019, the wages and salaries of all Québec employees—meaning salaries, bonuses and other lump sum payments—grew by 10.4% in real terms. Over the same period, an 8.7% increase was observed for Québec government employees.

    When benefits are added to wages and salaries, the real growth of total compensation in the 2010s rises to just over 12% for all Québec employees, about two percentage points higher than for Québec government employees.

    Real growth in compensation, all Québec employees1 and Québec government employees,2 2009–2010 and 2019–20203


    All Québec employees1   Québec government employees2

     
    Wages and salaries4 Total compensation4   Salary plus additional
    compensation and bonuses4
    Coût global
    de la rémunération4

    %

    10.4 12.4   8.7 10.1

    1. All Québec workers aged 15 and over, except those who are self-employed, such as professionals, unincorporated business owners, farmers, and members of the military.
    2. Comprises the Québec public service and the public education and health and social services networks.
    3. For all Québec employees, the period begins in 2009 and ends in 2019.
    4. The concept of salaries and wages is close to that of salaries plus additional compensation and bonuses for Québec government employees, while the concept of total compensation is close to that of overall cost of compensation. To learn more, see the full publication.

    Sources : Secrétariat du Conseil du trésor du Québec. Compilation: Institut de la statistique du Québec.

    Statistics Canada, Estimates of Labour Income, Table 36-10-0205-01, last updated March 1, 2022; Labour Force Survey, Table 14-10-0068-01, last updated January 7, 2022. Adapted by the Institut de la statistique du Québec.

    The study also provides results by employment status and age group for Québec government employees, as well as compensation data over a 40-year period for these employees and for all Québec employees.

    Read the study highlights

    Read the full report


    The Institut de la statistique du Québec produces, analyzes and disseminates official, objective and quality statistical information on various aspects of Québec society. It is responsible for conducting all statistical surveys of general interest. The relevance of its work makes it a strategic ally for decision makers and all those wishing to learn more about Québec.

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    Phone: 418-691-2401
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    E-mail: cid@stat.gouv.qc.ca

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