Backgrounder: Government of Canada announces new supports for workers in seasonal industries

Backgrounder

The EI economic regions targeted for the additional five-weeks of regular benefits are those with higher proportions of seasonal claimants to the total labour force and higher than average EI unemployment rates in 2017. The following is the list of targeted regions:

  1. Bas-Saint-Laurent–Côte-Nord
  2. Central Québec
  3. Charlottetown
  4. Chicoutimi-Jonquiere
  5. Eastern Nova Scotia
  6. Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine
  7. Madawaska–Charlotte
  8. Newfoundland / Labrador (excludes capital)
  9. North Western Québec
  10. Prince Edward Island (excludes capital)
  11. Restigouche–Albert
  12. Western Nova Scotia
  13. Yukon (excludes capital)

The additional five weeks of regular benefits will be available to eligible workers in seasonal industries who start a benefit period between August 5, 2018 and May 30, 2020 in the targeted regions. An EI claimant will be considered an eligible seasonal worker if they meet both of the following two criteria:

  • in the previous five years, had at least three claims in which they received regular or fishing benefits; and,
  • at least two of those claims have started around the same time of year.

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