The Government of Canada continues the Extended Employment Insurance Benefits pilot project

News Release

GATINEAU, QUEBEC, December 3, 2007 — The Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, today announced that the Government of Canada will be continuing the Extended Employment Insurance (EI) Benefits pilot project until June 6, 2009. The pilot project increases EI entitlement by providing 5 additional weeks of benefits to EI claimants, up to a maximum of 45 weeks of benefits.
"Our government recognizes that not all regions are seeing the same growth and that individuals employed in seasonal work face specific challenges," said Minister Solberg. "This pilot project is intended to test a mechanism for helping seasonal workers who experience an annual income gap due to limited work alternatives in their regions."
The purpose of an EI pilot project is to conduct a test for a defined period, and to allow the Government to assess the labour market impacts of new approaches that are designed to assist the unemployed. The continuation of the pilot will allow the Government to acquire additional data to support a more complete assessment and understanding of the labour market effects of extending EI benefit periods.
"Our government has taken action to support workers as traditional and seasonal industries adjust to global conditions and will continue to do so," added Minister Solberg. "The Government's priority continues to be to help Canadians participate in the labour market."
Details on the pilot project are available in the attached backgrounder.
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For further information (media only):
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
backgrounder
THE EXTENDED EI BENEFITS PILOT PROJECT
The Government of Canada will be continuing the Extended EI Benefits pilot project until June 6, 2009. The Extended EI Benefits pilot project increases Employment Insurance (EI) income support by providing access to five additional weeks of benefits to EI claimants in 21 areas of high unemployment, up to a maximum of 45 weeks of benefits.
The Extended EI Benefits pilot will continue to test whether providing additional weeks would
help address the annual income gap faced by seasonal workers whose weeks of work and EI benefits are not sufficient to provide income throughout the year,
maintain current incentives to work; and
have any adverse labour market effects on other EI claimants.
The pilot project continues to apply to individuals who claim regular benefits for an interruption in earnings up to and including June 6, 2009, and who live in one of the 21 participating EI economic regions.
The following 21 EI economic regions continue to be included in the Extended EI Benefits pilot project:
Northern Ontario
Sudbury
Central Quebec
Chicoutimi-Jonquière
Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine
Lower Saint Lawrence and North Shore
North Western Quebec
Trois-Rivières
Eastern Nova Scotia
Western Nova Scotia
Madawaska-Charlotte
Restigouche-Albert
Northern Manitoba
Northern British Columbia
Prince Edward Island
Northern Saskatchewan
Newfoundland/Labrador
St. John's
Yukon
Northwest Territories
Nunavut

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2016-12-15

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The Government of Canada continues the Extended Employment Insurance Benefits pilot project

News Release

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