Source: The Canadian Press

The average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees rose to $860.67 in August, a 4.4% increase over a year earlier.

Statistics Canada reports the last time earnings growth exceeded 4% was in February 2008.

It was the fifth straight month in which the year-over-year increase was above 3%.

StatsCan says year-over-year growth was below 2% for most of 2009.

Average weekly earnings increased in all provinces, with growth above the national average in Alberta (up 7.5%), Newfoundland and Labrador (6.2), Saskatchewan (6.0) and Ontario (4.7%).

New Brunswick (up 0.6%) had the smallest year-over-year earnings growth.