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EI Claims are Up

Not that the information itself is that surprising, given the unemployment numbers that have already been published, but another interesting question about how well funded the social safety net is funded

In February, the number of people receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits increased by 44,300 or 7.8% from January. Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Saskatchewan experienced the strongest increases.

Another obvious but interesting point is:

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

Between February 2008 and February 2009, there was a larger increase in the number of men receiving regular benefits (+36.7%) compared with women (+20.6%).

More men than women getting on “the dole”? Not sure that is significant, but it does seem to be a topic that the media is harping on, about how this is a “Male Recession”, not sure I buy it, but it is an interesting point.

In previous years the government has used EI overruns as a crutch to help pay off debt, wonder what is going to happen now?

EI Claims Up Sharply
EI Claims Up Sharply

By Metropolitan Area

The Stats Canada report is quite thorough (as usual, but this table really does tweek my interest):

  February 2008 February 2009p February 2008 to February 2009 February 2008 to February 2009
  Unadjusted for seasonality
  number change in number % change
Newfoundland and Labrador        
St. John’s 5,330 6,030 700 13.1
Nova Scotia        
Halifax 5,290 6,570 1,280 24.2
New Brunswick        
Saint John 2,330 2,560 230 9.9
Quebec        
Saguenay 6,280 6,640 360 5.7
Québec 12,700 15,110 2,410 19.0
Sherbrooke 3,750 4,560 810 21.6
Trois-Rivières 4,380 4,790 410 9.4
Montréal 62,750 74,380 11,630 18.5
Ottawa–Gatineau, Gatineau part 3,780 4,340 560 14.8
Ontario        
Ottawa–Gatineau, Ottawa part 5,980 7,290 1,310 21.9
Kingston 1,540 1,940 400 26.0
Oshawa 5,290 6,470 1,180 22.3
Toronto 54,460 87,440 32,980 60.6
Hamilton 7,270 13,330 6,060 83.4
St. Catharines–Niagara 7,870 10,980 3,110 39.5
Kitchener 5,240 10,270 5,030 96.0
London 5,450 9,970 4,520 82.9
Windsor 5,720 11,660 5,940 103.8
Greater Sudbury 2,470 3,690 1,220 49.4
Thunder Bay 2,540 2,940 400 15.7
Manitoba        
Winnipeg 5,370 7,380 2,010 37.4
Saskatchewan        
Regina 1,220 1,350 130 10.7
Saskatoon 1,510 2,360 850 56.3
Alberta        
Calgary 5,460 11,690 6,230 114.1
Edmonton 5,540 10,880 5,340 96.4
British Columbia        
Abbotsford 2,210 3,380 1,170 52.9
Vancouver 16,290 28,550 12,260 75.3
Victoria 1,870 3,530 1,660 88.8
preliminary
Note(s):
Number of beneficiaries receiving regular benefits excludes claimants receiving training, job creation and self-employment benefits as well as other employment and support measures benefits.

You might have guessed that Windsor might be taking a beating as well as around Toronto and such but Calgary is taking a beating too (for claimants at least). Kitchener and Vancouver’s numbers are quite concerning as well.

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