Canada's EI claims rise in June
Last Updated: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 | 9:17 AM ET
The Canadian Press
Statistics Canada said Wednesday the number of people who received regular employment insurance benefits climbed for the third straight month in June.
The agency said 691,600 people received regular benefits in June, up 8,400 from May and the third straight month of small increases.
Despite the recent gains, the number of beneficiaries has fallen by 137,700, or 16.6 per cent, since the peak in June 2009.
The number of beneficiaries rose in nine provinces in June, with Ontario registering the only decline.
The most notable increases occurred in Quebec and New Brunswick.
The number of initial and renewal claims received in June edged up by 4,900 to 238,000 after small increases in April and May.
Claims have, however, been on a downward trend since the peak in May 2009 — down 89,700, or 27.4 per cent.
The fastest rates of decline since last year's peak came in Ontario (down 38.2 per cent), Alberta (down 30.6 per cent) and British Columbia (down 23.4 per cent).
