The ERG at a glance

The ERG at a Glance bulletin explains the workings of the ERG (Survey on Total Compensation), a scientific survey using rigorous methodology. By virtue of the scope of the compensation and jobs it covers, the ERG is one of the only surveys on the Canadian labour market to compile data on more than just salaries, namely fringe benefits, hours worked, labour force characteristics (seniority, union status and sex) and paid time off. Taking global compensation into account produces more comprehensive findings than simply comparing compensation.

Survey data are representative of the compensation paid in enterprises of 200 employees or more and in municipal employees in cities of 25,000 residents or more. The ERG has been conducted by the DSTR (Direction des statistiques du travail et de la rémunération (DSTR) de l’Institut de la statistique du Québec since 1999. The first edition dates back to 1983, however, when it came under the responsibility of the Québec Department of Labour.