Employment Insurance Beneficiaries Increase in July 2024
In July 2024, the number of Canadians receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits increased by 2.2% from the previous month, reaching a total of 489,000 beneficiaries. This marks the third consecutive monthly increase. Compared to July 2023, the number of regular EI beneficiaries increased by 10%, or 44,000 individuals.
In Ontario, the number of regular EI recipients rose by 3.0% in July 2024, with a notable increase among core-aged women. Year-over-year, Ontario saw a 24.2% increase in regular EI beneficiaries, accounting for 69.3% of the total increase in Canada.
The unemployment rate in Canada increased by 0.3 percentage points to 6.4% in the three months leading to July 2024. Compared to July 2023, the unemployment rate rose by 0.9 percentage points, with the number of unemployed individuals who had been laid off increasing by 12.2% to 604,000.
In New Brunswick, there was a 23.7% increase in the number of EI beneficiaries, with nearly one-third of the increase among those who last worked in trades, transport, and equipment operators. Alberta saw a 4.8% increase in regular EI recipients, primarily among individuals aged 55 and older. Saskatchewan experienced a 3.2% rise in EI recipients, mainly among core-aged individuals.
Quebec was the only province to report a decline in the number of regular EI recipients in July 2024, with a decrease of 4.2% following two consecutive monthly increases.
