Employment Insurance

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In April, 697,000 people received regular Employment Insurance benefits, up 18,600 from a month earlier. This 2.7% increase was the smallest in six months.

Alberta and Saskatchewan showed the fastest rate of increase in the number of regular beneficiaries in April.

While the number of people receiving benefits was up in April, initial and renewal claims received were down 1.7%, following a 2.1% decrease in March.

Since October 2008, the number of regular EI beneficiaries has risen by 39.3%, increasing in all provinces and territories, with the largest percentage growth in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario.

Largest percentage increases in Alberta and Saskatchewan in April

In Alberta, the number of regular beneficiaries grew by 16.3% to 48,300 in April, bringing the total increase since October 2008 to 164.9% or 30,100.

From March to April, the number of regular beneficiaries in Saskatchewan rose 12.2% to 13,200 people, following similar increases in the previous two months.

Following large increases in previous months, the number of beneficiaries in British Columbia was 82,700 in April, up 1.7% from March. The total percentage increase since October 2008 was 81.6% or 37,200.

While from October to April the rate of increase in the number of regular beneficiaries was the fastest in Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan, the unemployment rates in these provinces remained among the lowest in the country.

In Ontario, the number of regular EI beneficiaries increased by 4.4% to 230,000 in April. Since October 2008, the number of beneficiaries has risen by 48.8% or 75,400.

Since last October, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces posted smaller increases in the number of regular beneficiaries than the national average of 39.3%.

Sub-provincial and demographic overview

Statistics Canada releases today a new publication presenting EI statistics in a set of maps. The maps show changes in the number of people receiving regular Employment Insurance benefits across Canada.

Employment Insurance data by sub-provincial region, sex and age are not seasonally adjusted and therefore should only be compared on a year-over-year basis.

All census metropolitan areas in Canada have seen an increase in the number of regular beneficiaries in the past year.

The number of beneficiaries tripled in most large centers in Alberta between April 2008 and April 2009 (see map). In Calgary, the number of regular beneficiaries grew by 12,700 to 17,300, while in Edmonton, it was up 11,200 to 15,900.

In Alberta, the drop in employment in recent months has mostly hit manufacturing, construction, trade, as well as professional, scientific and technical services.

Between April 2008 and April 2009, the increase in the number of beneficiaries in British Columbia was widespread, tripling in Cranbrook, Kelowna and Campbell River, and doubling in most other major centers. In Victoria, the number of beneficiaries increased by 2,500 to 3,900, while in Vancouver, there were 34,500 people receiving regular benefits, an increase of 20,500 over 12 months.

At the same time, the decrease in employment in British Columbia was most notable in construction; transportation and warehousing; accommodation and food services; finance and insurance as well as forestry and logging.

In Saskatchewan, the number of people receiving regular EI benefits more than doubled from April 2008 to April 2009 in Swift Current, Saskatoon and Moose Jaw. In Saskatoon, 2,700 people were receiving regular benefits in April 2009, up 1,600 from a year ago. In Regina, the number of regular beneficiaries rose by 760 to 1,600.

In Ontario, the number of regular beneficiaries more than doubled between April 2008 and April 2009 in 15 of the 41 large centres. Employment declines in Ontario over the same period were widespread, with manufacturing being particularly hard hit.

In the southwestern part of Ontario, the largest percentage increases in the number of beneficiaries were in Guelph, Tillsonburg and Barrie. In Toronto, the number rose by 88.1% to 95,800.

Large centres in the northern part of Ontario also experienced growth in the number of beneficiaries. The largest percentage increases from April 2008 to April 2009 were in Greater Sudbury, where the number of beneficiaries doubled to 4,000 people, and in Timmins. The drop in employment in Ontario over the same period also included declines in the natural resources sector.

In Quebec, from April 2008 to April 2009, the number of regular beneficiaries increased by more than 50% in Granby, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and Lachute. In Montréal, the number of regular beneficiaries grew by 45.5% to 75,100 over the 12-month period. In the census metropolitan area of Québec, there were 13,200 regular beneficiaries in April 2009, up 46.5% from a year earlier.

More youths receiving EI benefits

Between April 2008 and April 2009, the increase in the number of regular beneficiaries was higher among youths under 25, at 73.3%, than among those aged 25 to 54 (+54.6%) and those 55 years and over (+50.6%).

Over the same period, there was a larger increase in the number of men receiving regular benefits (+63.0%) compared with women (+42.0%).

Number of claims remains high in April

To receive EI benefits, individuals must first submit a claim. Statistics on claims cover the month and provide an indication of the number of people who could become beneficiaries.

In April, 314,200 people filed an initial or a renewal claim. The number of claims received was down 1.7% in April, after a decrease of 2.1% in March. Despite these declines, the number of claims received remained close to the peak of 326,400 reached in February.

There were fewer claims received in six provinces in April, with Alberta (-17.1%), Saskatchewan (-8.9%), and British Columbia (-6.9%) showing the largest percentage declines. The other four provinces showed slight increases.

Available on CANSIM: tables 276-0001 to 276-0006, 276-0009, 276-0011, 276-0015 and 276-0016.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2604.

Data tables are also now available online. From the By subject module of our website, choose Labour.

Data on Employment Insurance for May will be released on July 28.

For more information, or to order data, contact Client Services (toll-free 1-866-873-8788; 613-951-4090; labour@statcan.gc.ca). To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Dominique Pérusse (613-951-4064) or Gilles Groleau (613-951-4091), Labour Statistics Division.