Employment insurance, social assistance and other transfers

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All (7)

All (7) ((7 results))

  • Articles and reports: 11F0019M2004219
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    This study investigates trends in family income inequality in the 1980s and 1990s, with particular attention paid to the recovery period of the 1990s.

    Release date: 2004-12-16

  • Articles and reports: 75-001-X200310313088
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    This article looks at some of the statistics compiled from Human Resources and Development Canada data to determine whether new parents have responded to recent changes to the maternity, parental and adoption benefits available under the Employment Insurance program.

    Release date: 2003-06-18

  • Articles and reports: 11F0019M2003192
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    The 1990s were characterized by substantial declines in the number of welfare recipients in most Canadian provinces. These declines occurred in a period when most provincial governments lowered benefits and tightened eligibility rules. What happened to the economic well-being of those who left welfare in the 1990s? Using longitudinal tax data, this study examines the short and long-term outcomes of welfare leavers across three dimensions: earnings, disposable income and low-income. The role of marriage in post-welfare outcomes is also investigated.

    Release date: 2003-03-26

  • Articles and reports: 11F0019M2003172
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    All countries look to economic growth to reduce low-income. This paper focuses on the 1990s and assesses the role played by changes in economic growth, employment earnings and government transfers in the patterns of low-income intensity in Canada during the 1990s. We find that low-income intensity was higher in most provinces during the 1990s than during the 1980s (comparing comparable positions in the business cycle). The largest increase was in Ontario. In particular, in spite of the slow economic growth and falling unemployment between 1993 and 1997, low-income intensity continued to rise. Both increases in the low-income rate and the low-income gaps contributed to this higher level. Employment earnings continued to decline among low-income families over the 1990s, contributing to the increase in low-income intensity in central and eastern Canada in particular. This is related in part to the more severe recession of the early 1990s east of Manitoba, and the lack of recovery among poorer families. During the 1990s changes in government transfers did not offset the fall in employment earnings among lower-income families, as they did during the 1980s, resulting in rising low-income intensity. Declining transfer benefits were associated with a rising low-income gap in some provinces, particularly Alberta. The latest data available at the time of writing was 1998. The strong economic growth of 1999 and 2000 will likely have reduced low-income intensity, but it remains to be seen if it falls back to the level of the 1980s cyclical peak.

    Release date: 2003-01-24

  • Articles and reports: 11F0019M2000144
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    In this paper, we revisit trends in low-income among Canadian children by taking advantage of recent developments in the measurement of low-income intensity. We focus in particular on the Sen-Shorrocks-Thon (SST) index and its elaboration by Osberg and Xu. Low-income intensity declined in the 1980s but rose in the 1990s. Declining earnings put upward pressure on low-income levels over much of the period. Higher transfers more than offset this pressure in the 1980s and continued to absorb a substantial share of the increase through 1993. In contrast, the rise in low-income intensity after 1993 reflected reductions in UI and social assistance benefits that were not offset by increased employment earnings, at least to 1996 the latest year used in this paper.

    A major aim of the paper is methodological. We contrast results using the SST index with results produced by the more familiar low-income rate, the usual measure for indexing low-income trends. The low-income rate is embedded in the SST index, but unlike the index, the rate incorporates only partial information on the distribution of low-income. Consequently, the low-income rate is generally unable to detect the changes we describe and this is true irrespective of the choice of low-income cut-off. Compared to the low-income intensity measure, the rate is also relatively insensitive to changes in transfer payments and employment earnings.

    Release date: 2000-03-30

  • Articles and reports: 11F0019M1995082
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    Our aim in this paper is to resolve a paradox. Since the 1970s, there has been a downward secular trend in the average real and relative earnings of young adults under the age of 35. Despite the fact that most young children live in households headed by adults under 35, there has been no corresponding secular rise in the incidence of low income among children. Rather child poverty has followed the usual fluctuations of the business cycle.

    We show that the relative stability in child poverty rates in the face of declining labour market earnings is a result of two factors. First, the decline in market income in young households with children has been offset by rising transfers. Since the 1970s, social transfers have replaced earnings as the main source of income among low income families with children.

    Second, changes in the fertility behaviour and labour market characteristics of young adults have sharply reduced the risk of young children growing up in low income households. Today's young parents are better educated, working more hours, having fewer children, and postponing child-birth until later ages when earnings are higher. Although more children do find themselves in single parent families, this change has been swamped by other changes in family patterns and labour market behaviour that have reduced the risk of child poverty.

    Thus, the upward pressure on low income among children stemming from the labour market has been offset by social transfers, on the one hand, and by changes in family formation and the labour market behaviour of young adults, on the other. Except for cyclical variations, the result has been relative stability in the incidence of low income among children over the 1980s and early 1990s. Whether these offsetting patterns will continue in the last half of the 1990s remains to be seen.

    Release date: 1995-09-30

  • 7. Who gets UI? Archived
    Articles and reports: 75-001-X199400244
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    This article profiles Unemployment Insurance beneficiaries over the last decade with a focus on the recent recession.

    Release date: 1994-06-01
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Analysis (7)

Analysis (7) ((7 results))

  • Articles and reports: 11F0019M2004219
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    This study investigates trends in family income inequality in the 1980s and 1990s, with particular attention paid to the recovery period of the 1990s.

    Release date: 2004-12-16

  • Articles and reports: 75-001-X200310313088
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    This article looks at some of the statistics compiled from Human Resources and Development Canada data to determine whether new parents have responded to recent changes to the maternity, parental and adoption benefits available under the Employment Insurance program.

    Release date: 2003-06-18

  • Articles and reports: 11F0019M2003192
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    The 1990s were characterized by substantial declines in the number of welfare recipients in most Canadian provinces. These declines occurred in a period when most provincial governments lowered benefits and tightened eligibility rules. What happened to the economic well-being of those who left welfare in the 1990s? Using longitudinal tax data, this study examines the short and long-term outcomes of welfare leavers across three dimensions: earnings, disposable income and low-income. The role of marriage in post-welfare outcomes is also investigated.

    Release date: 2003-03-26

  • Articles and reports: 11F0019M2003172
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    All countries look to economic growth to reduce low-income. This paper focuses on the 1990s and assesses the role played by changes in economic growth, employment earnings and government transfers in the patterns of low-income intensity in Canada during the 1990s. We find that low-income intensity was higher in most provinces during the 1990s than during the 1980s (comparing comparable positions in the business cycle). The largest increase was in Ontario. In particular, in spite of the slow economic growth and falling unemployment between 1993 and 1997, low-income intensity continued to rise. Both increases in the low-income rate and the low-income gaps contributed to this higher level. Employment earnings continued to decline among low-income families over the 1990s, contributing to the increase in low-income intensity in central and eastern Canada in particular. This is related in part to the more severe recession of the early 1990s east of Manitoba, and the lack of recovery among poorer families. During the 1990s changes in government transfers did not offset the fall in employment earnings among lower-income families, as they did during the 1980s, resulting in rising low-income intensity. Declining transfer benefits were associated with a rising low-income gap in some provinces, particularly Alberta. The latest data available at the time of writing was 1998. The strong economic growth of 1999 and 2000 will likely have reduced low-income intensity, but it remains to be seen if it falls back to the level of the 1980s cyclical peak.

    Release date: 2003-01-24

  • Articles and reports: 11F0019M2000144
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    In this paper, we revisit trends in low-income among Canadian children by taking advantage of recent developments in the measurement of low-income intensity. We focus in particular on the Sen-Shorrocks-Thon (SST) index and its elaboration by Osberg and Xu. Low-income intensity declined in the 1980s but rose in the 1990s. Declining earnings put upward pressure on low-income levels over much of the period. Higher transfers more than offset this pressure in the 1980s and continued to absorb a substantial share of the increase through 1993. In contrast, the rise in low-income intensity after 1993 reflected reductions in UI and social assistance benefits that were not offset by increased employment earnings, at least to 1996 the latest year used in this paper.

    A major aim of the paper is methodological. We contrast results using the SST index with results produced by the more familiar low-income rate, the usual measure for indexing low-income trends. The low-income rate is embedded in the SST index, but unlike the index, the rate incorporates only partial information on the distribution of low-income. Consequently, the low-income rate is generally unable to detect the changes we describe and this is true irrespective of the choice of low-income cut-off. Compared to the low-income intensity measure, the rate is also relatively insensitive to changes in transfer payments and employment earnings.

    Release date: 2000-03-30

  • Articles and reports: 11F0019M1995082
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    Our aim in this paper is to resolve a paradox. Since the 1970s, there has been a downward secular trend in the average real and relative earnings of young adults under the age of 35. Despite the fact that most young children live in households headed by adults under 35, there has been no corresponding secular rise in the incidence of low income among children. Rather child poverty has followed the usual fluctuations of the business cycle.

    We show that the relative stability in child poverty rates in the face of declining labour market earnings is a result of two factors. First, the decline in market income in young households with children has been offset by rising transfers. Since the 1970s, social transfers have replaced earnings as the main source of income among low income families with children.

    Second, changes in the fertility behaviour and labour market characteristics of young adults have sharply reduced the risk of young children growing up in low income households. Today's young parents are better educated, working more hours, having fewer children, and postponing child-birth until later ages when earnings are higher. Although more children do find themselves in single parent families, this change has been swamped by other changes in family patterns and labour market behaviour that have reduced the risk of child poverty.

    Thus, the upward pressure on low income among children stemming from the labour market has been offset by social transfers, on the one hand, and by changes in family formation and the labour market behaviour of young adults, on the other. Except for cyclical variations, the result has been relative stability in the incidence of low income among children over the 1980s and early 1990s. Whether these offsetting patterns will continue in the last half of the 1990s remains to be seen.

    Release date: 1995-09-30

  • 7. Who gets UI? Archived
    Articles and reports: 75-001-X199400244
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    This article profiles Unemployment Insurance beneficiaries over the last decade with a focus on the recent recession.

    Release date: 1994-06-01
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