The Government of Canada has introduced even more employment insurance (EI) measures to support workers affected by the trade war.
Last Friday, Minister of Jobs and Families Steven MacKinnon announced the new temporary EI measures, which will be implemented through a pilot project.
“Canadian workers have always shown resilience in the face of significant challenges, but the impact of tariffs and the resulting economic uncertainty are beyond their control,” MacKinnon said in a statement.
“That’s why the Government of Canada is acting swiftly to make changes to critical programs that protect Canadian jobs and workers and the Canadian economy.”
Number of Canadian EI recipients skyrockets and Ontario gets hit the hardesthttps://t.co/EhrYjwMNnF
— blogTO (@blogTO) August 23, 2024
The first temporary employment insurance measure Canada will implement is artificially boosting the regional unemployment rates used to determine access to and duration of EI benefits.
The rate will be increased by one percentage point in all EI regions, with no region seeing an unemployment rate of less than 7.1 per cent.
“This temporary measure will reduce the hours required to qualify for regular benefits to no higher than 630 hours and increase the weeks of entitlement by up to four additional weeks,” stated Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
This measure will be in effect for six months.
Canada will also allow claimants to receive employment insurance benefits faster by suspending rules around treatment of severance, vacation and other compensation upon separation from the employer.
This way, workers can start receiving EI benefits without needing to use up their severance or vacation. This measure will also be in effect for six months.
Lastly, the government will waive the waiting period so that workers can receive benefits for the first week of unemployment, helping them more easily adjust to a drop in income.
ESDC says all claimant types (regular, special, fishing) are eligible for this measure, and it will be in effect for six months.
These updates are in addition to the temporary EI Work-Sharing Program that Ottawa announced on March 7.
