Ontario, B.C. lead July’s increase in EI recipients
by Canadian Manufacturing.com Staff
While the number of people receiving employment insurance grew in July, the number of new applicants fell
OTTAWA—Statistics Canada reports 545,200 people received regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits in July up two per cent or that 10,500 over June.
On a year-over-year basis, the number of EI beneficiaries increased by 36,100 or 7.1 per cent.
Most of the increase in July was in British Columbia and Ontario, where the number of beneficiaries rose 3.9 per cent and 3.6 per cent. Smaller increases were recorded in Alberta (+1.8 per cent), Quebec (+1.4 per cent) and Saskatchewan (+1.2 per cent).
In contrast, the number of beneficiaries decreased by 2.5 per cent in Manitoba and 1.5 per cent in Newfoundland and Labrador, whereas the remaining provinces saw little change.
New applicants reduced
Following two consecutive monthly increases, the number of EI claims fell by 12.6 per cent to 229,200 in July. The number of claims provides an indication of the number of people who could become beneficiaries.
EI claims fell in six provinces, led by Ontario (-27.9 per cent), British Columbia (-12.8 per cent) and Alberta (-12.4 per cent). Claims also declined in New Brunswick (-4.0 per cent), Saskatchewan (-2.6 per cent) and Manitoba (-1.0 per cent).
However, claims increased in Nova Scotia (+5.4 per cent), Newfoundland and Labrador (+4.0 per cent) and Prince Edward Island (+1.7 per cent).
The change in the number of regular EI beneficiaries reflects various situations, including people becoming beneficiaries, people going back to work and people no longer receiving regular benefits.
