(Montreal) The number of people receiving regular employment insurance benefits in July increased from the previous month, Statistics Canada reported on Thursday.
Posted at 11:07 a.m.
Some 506,000 Canadians received EI regular benefits in July, 14,000 more than in June.
Statistics Canada notes that this is “the first increase that was not related to the tightening of public health restrictions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic”. It is also the first increase since January.
The number of employment insurance beneficiaries is particularly on the rise in Quebec, with 9,000 more people, an increase of 7.4%. It also increased by 9.6% in British Columbia and by 9.2% in Manitoba.
The metropolitan areas of Windsor and Victoria are seeing the biggest increases.
The 73.8% increase in employment insurance beneficiaries in Windsor, Ont., mainly concerns occupations related to mechanical, electrical and electronic equipment, according to Statistics Canada.
The auto industry in this region, located opposite the US city of Detroit, has experienced many closures since last year, in particular due to the shortage of semiconductor chips.
Across Canada, professions in education, law, and social, community and government services are the most affected by the increase in the number of people receiving employment insurance benefits.
On the other hand, the sector with the most employment insurance claimants is in trades, transport, machinery and related fields. This is 31% of all EI claimants.