General

Fewer Canadians collecting EI, but jobless numbers grow

Ontario, B.C. are worst-hit provinces

Despite encouraging statistics on the number of Canadians collecting employment insurance, there has been an increase in new claims. According to Statistics Canada, the number of people receiving jobless benefits fell 2.4 per cent from July to August, but as economists have predicted, more Canadians are likely to receive pink slips in the coming months. After two months of decline, the number of new and renewal EI claims rose 8.2 per cent in August. The provinces with the biggest jump in new claims: Ontario and British Columbia. Overall, the number of people on EI has spiked 52.5 per cent in the past year, with the biggest increases among those living in major cities. In August, some 763,200 Canadians were collecting EI.

Globe and Mail

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