Employment insurance beneficiaries, by province

Employment insurance beneficiaries have been increasing recently

• In 2003, the average number of Canadians who received employment insurance (EI) benefits each month was 841,000, representing 3% of the working-age population.
• Since 2000, the number of EI beneficiaries has increased 29%, following a steady decline from 1991 to 2000. While all provinces saw reductions in the number of beneficiaries during the 1990s, the largest drop occurred in Ontario (down 61%). The recent upturn reflects national unemployment rate increases from 2000 to 2003, as well as changes in the EI program, which now provides more generous parental and maternity benefits.
• The highest concentrations of beneficiaries lived in Atlantic Canada and Quebec. In 2003, the Atlantic provinces constituted only 8% of Canada's working-age population but accounted for 17% of all EI beneficiaries. Similarly, Quebec represented 24% of adult Canadians but 30% of all beneficiaries. These provinces have historically experienced high unemployment rates, coupled with high levels of seasonal employment.

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