Sask. recipients, claims rise in March

Slumping oil prices continue to take their toll on the Saskatchewan economy as the number of people applying for and receiving Employment Insurance (EI) benefits increased in March.

“In Saskatchewan, the number of people receiving EI benefits increased for the fourth consecutive month, up 3.8 per cent to 12,300 in March,” Statistics Canada said in its monthly report Thursday.

The largest increase was among beneficiaries formerly employed in primary industry, such as oil and gas production, which increased nearly 10 per cent.

“Increases were widespread throughout the province, except Regina, where there was virtually no change,” the federal agency said. On a year-over-year basis, the number of EI recipients rose 11.5 per cent from 10,900 in March 2014.

The number of Saskatchewan workers filing EI claims also rose by 3.4 per cent between February and March, the largest monthly increase of any province. Over the past year, Saskatchewan EI claims are up by 15.1 per cent, the secondlargest provincial increase after Alberta.

“The jump in EI claims reflects layoffs in the oilpatch and related industries,” said United Steelworkers economist Erin Weir, noting that Evraz, which manufactures steel products for the oil and gas sector, extended layoffs for 40 to 50 employees in Regina last week.

“The federal Conservative government has reported a balanced budget only by cutting EI benefit payments to well below EI premium revenues,” said Weir, who is running for the NDP in the federal riding of ReginaLewvan. “We should instead improve the accessibility, level and duration of EI benefits to ensure adequate support for Saskatchewan workers who have been laid off due to economic circumstances beyond their control.”

Nationally, the number of people getting employment insurance benefits rose to 517,900 in March — up 2,600 from the same month last year and the first year-overyear increase since February 2010.

Alberta was the province with the biggest increase in people receiving EI benefits in March, rising by 8.9 per cent to 38,800. Statistics Canada says it was the fifth consecutive monthly increase for Alberta and the secondbiggest since June 2009.

Other increases were recorded in Nova Scotia (up 2.8 per cent to 28,400), Newfoundland and Labrador (up 2.2 per cent to 32,900) and Manitoba (up two per cent to 13,900).

British Columbia, Prince Edward Island and Ontario had smaller increases, New Brunswick had little change and Quebec saw the number of EI beneficiaries drop by 1.5 per cent from February.