EI-recipient numbers soar in West
OTTAWA–Alberta and British Columbia residents led the way as 681,400 Canadians received regular Employment Insurance benefits in March – 65,300 or 10.6 per cent more than in February.
Statistics Canada reported that the increase has been the largest since the labour market started to deteriorate last October.
The number of regular EI beneficiaries has climbed by 36.2 per cent since October.
The number of initial and renewal claims edged down 1.9 per cent.
In March, the number of regular beneficiaries in Alberta climbed by 32 cash loan.1 per cent to 42,200 – the province’s fastest monthly increase since comparable record-keeping began.
The number of people receiving regular benefits in British Columbia increased 26.7 per cent to 82,200; a record for the province.
The Canadian Press