VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire) -- 01/23/13 -- The Fraser Institute will release a new study comparing public- and private-sector wages in B.C. on Thursday, January 24 at 6:30 a.m. (Pacific).

The study, Comparing Public and Private Sector Compensation in British Columbia, examines wage and non-wage benefits for government employees (federal, provincial, and local) and private-sector workers. It calculates the "wage premium" (i.e., the degree to which public-sector wages exceed private-sector wages) using Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey from April 2011.

The report also compares three components of non-wage benefits: pensions, early retirement, and job security.

"As the B.C. government struggles with deficits and finding ways to constrain spending, public-sector compensation is one area that should be closely scrutinized," said Jason Clemens, Fraser Institute executive vice-president and study co-author.

A news release with additional information will be issued via Marketwire at 6:30 a.m. (Pacific) on Thursday, January 24.

The full report will also be available as a free PDF download at www.fraserinstitute.org.

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The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal and ties to a global network of 86 think-tanks. Its mission is to measure, study, and communicate the impact of competitive markets and government intervention on the welfare of individuals. To protect the Institute's independence, it does not accept grants from governments or contracts for research. Visit www.fraserinstitute.org.