Canada. The Number of People Receiving Regular Employment Insurance (EI) Benefits up 4,4%

The number of people receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits rose to 560,400 in January 2009, up 4.4% or 23,700 from December 2008.

Since the most recent low recorded in February 2008, the number of regular EI beneficiaries has climbed by 104,000, or 22.8%. Over half the rise occurred in Ontario, much greater than that province's share of the labour force (39.1%).

In January, growth in the number of beneficiaries was especially strong in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario, all of which registered month-over-month increases that were above the national average.

In Alberta, 23,300 people were receiving regular EI benefits in January, up 10.5% from December. British Columbia had 56,100 beneficiaries, up 9.0%, while Ontario had 181,500, a 6.2% increase.

Over the February 2008 to January 2009 period, the number of regular EI beneficiaries has increased across the country, with the largest percentage gains in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario.

In recent months, labour market conditions in Canada have deteriorated significantly. Through the early part of 2008, employment growth weakened, only to fall sharply later that year and into 2009, causing a spike in the unemployment rate. By February 2009, the unemployment rate hit 7.7%, up almost two percentage points from a record low at the start of 2008.

Virtually every census metropolitan area across Canada experienced an increase in the number of regular beneficiaries over the last year. Regional EI data and data by sex and age are not seasonally adjusted and therefore should only be compared on a year-over-year basis.

The largest increases between January 2008 and January 2009 occurred in Southwestern Ontario, where the manufacturing sector in particular experienced heavy layoffs.

In Windsor, the number of regular beneficiaries rose 81.6% to 10,600. Also affected were London (+70.3%), Kitchener (+70.0%), and Hamilton (+69.0%), as were Guelph, Woodstock, Tillsonburg and Stratford.

In Toronto, the number of regular beneficiaries increased by 48.3% between January 2008 and January 2009.

Other notable increases in beneficiaries over the 12-month period included Calgary (+61.7%), Vancouver (+55.0%) and Edmonton (+48.9%).

Sharp increase in male beneficiaries

Between January 2008 and January 2009, the increase in the number of men receiving regular EI benefits (+27.1%) was double that of women (+13.8%).

This difference between men and women was reflected in all age groups and in all provinces and territories.

Source : Statistics Canada, March 24, 2009

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