MP urges Ottawa to extend new EI benefits to Regina

Regina had fewer Employment Insurance (EI) recipients in July, compared with the previous month, while the rest of the province saw a large spike in EI recipients during the same period, Statistics Canada reported Thursday.

What: The spring federal budget reduced EI waiting periods and added weeks of coverage in 12 parts of the country hurt by the prolonged downturn in commodity prices; Ottawa later added three more regions in Western Canada left out when the changes were first made.

In those 15 regions, unemployed workers are able to claim an extra five weeks of regular benefits up to a maximum of 50 weeks, while long-tenured workers are able to receive an additional 20 weeks up to a maximum of 70 weeks. What’s up, what’s down: Saskatchewan saw a 22 per cent increase in EI recipients to 19,980 in July from 16,390 in June.

In communities of 10,000 or more (excluding the two major cities), the number of EI recipients increased 26 per cent to 3,950 in July, while outside of urban centres, the number of EI beneficiaries increased 29 per cent to 9,600 during the same period.

But Regina, which was not included in the extension of EI benefits, saw a drop in EI recipients during the same period. “The number of beneficiaries in Regina declined 7.8 per cent to 2,000,’’ the federal agency said.

By contrast, Saskatoon saw a 23 per cent increase in EI recipients to 4,430 in July.

What it means: With July being the first month of extended benefits, workers receiving EI benefits jumped across the province.

Regina, the only part of Saskatchewan and Alberta excluded from extended benefits, was also the only region where the number of beneficiaries fell from June to July.

Regina-Lewvan NDP MP Erin Weir said the Statistics Canada figures support his call for the federal government to include Regina in its EI extension.

“Many unemployed workers in Regina are running out of EI benefits,” said Weir.

“If they lived anywhere else in Saskatchewan, they would be getting additional weeks of support.”

THE REST OF CANADA

People receiving employment insurance payments climbed 4.4 per cent to 575,200 in July as changes to extend benefits for those in hard-hit areas kicked in.

EI claims totalled 307,600 in July, up 33.4 per cent from the same month a year ago, with the EI changes accounting for almost a quarter of the volume of claims in July and more than half of the renewal claims.