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June 22, 2017EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, APRIL 2017 
In April 2017, the number (seasonally adjusted) of Nova Scotians receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits decreased by 160 persons (0.6 per cent) from the previous month to 28,310 and increased by 780 persons (2.8 per cent) over April 2016.
In April 2017, the number (seasonally adjusted) of Canadians receiving regular EI benefits decreased 1.3 per cent (-2,850 persons) from the previous month to 541,150. The number of regular EI beneficiaries decreased by 3,410 (0.6 per cent) over April 2016, partially reflecting legislative changes to the EI program that came into effect in July 2016.
The number (seasonally adjusted) of Nova Scotians receiving regular EI benefits in April 2017 accounted for 5.8 per cent of the total labour force. In Canada, the number of EI beneficiaries accounted for 2.8 per cent of the total labour force.
Following a slow but steady increase through much of 2016, the number of EI beneficiaries in Nova Scotia has been down in the latest two months. Looking at the longer-term, the number of beneficiaries has been relatively steady since 2015.
AGE
The majority (61.9 per cent) of regular EI recipients in Nova Scotia were in the 25 to 54 age group, who make up 62.6 per cent of the labour force. Although they account for 23.3 per cent of the labour force, 27.3 per cent of EI recipients were in the 55 years and over age group. A further 10.9 per cent of EI recipients were in the 15 to 24 age group, though they are 14.0 per cent of the labour force and 22.3 per cent of the unemployed.
For people aged 55 years and over, EI beneficiaries accounted for 6.8 per cent of the labour force in the same age range. For the labour force between the ages of 25 and 54, EI beneficiaries accounted for 5.7 per cent of the total and for ages 15 to 24, they accounted for 4.5 per cent.
On a year-over-year basis, the number of beneficiaries in the 15 to 24 age group increased by 320 persons, the 25-54 age group increased by 120 persons, and the 55 years and over group increased by 350 persons.
COUNTIES
In April 2017, twelve counties reported higher regular EI beneficiaries compared to a year ago, including the most populous counties of Halifax and Cape Breton, while five counties showed a decrease and one was unchanged.
OCCUPATION
In Nova Scotia in April 2017, the highest number of EI recipients were last employed in the trades, transport and equipment operators occupations (9,260, or 32.7 per cent of the monthly total), followed by sales and service occupations (5,250 or 18.5 per cent of the total) and natural resources, agriculture and related occupations (3,580, or 12.6 per cent of the total).
Comparing the first four months of 2017 to the same period in 2016, the largest percentage increase in EI beneficiaries was among recipients last employed in health occupations, while the largest increase in absolute terms was among recipients last employed in sales and services occupations. In both percentage and absolute terms, the number of EI beneficiaries declined the most over this period for recipients that were last employed in natural and applied sciences.
YEAR TO DATE - PROVINCES
Across the country, six provinces saw year to date increases in EI beneficiaries. Alberta (+20.5 per cent) led provinces in year to date EI beneficiary growth, followed by Saskatchewan (+15.8 per cent) and Newfoundland and Labrador (+9.0 per cent). Quebec (-7.7 per cent), Ontario (-4.8 per cent), and British Columbia (-0.2 per cent) posted declines in the number of EI beneficiaries. The average across Canada was a 0.6% increase in annual average EI beneficiaries.
EI BENEFICIARIES AS A SHARE OF THE UNEMPLOYED BY PROVINCE
In Nova Scotia, EI beneficiaries accounted for 71.5 per cent of the unemployed in April 2017, compared to a Canadian rate of 42.5 per cent. Across the country, EI beneficiaries accounted for the highest shares of the unemployed in the Atlantic provinces, led by Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. EI beneficiaries accounted for the lowest shares in Ontario, followed by British Columbia, Manitoba, and Alberta.
Note that due to differences in estimation methodology, it is possible for the reported number of EI beneficiaries to exceed the reported number of unemployed in a given jurisdiction.
Note: With the June 22, 2017 release of April data, the seasonally adjusted series of Employment Insurance (EI) statistics were revised back to January 2000 to reflect the most recent seasonal factors. Additionally, a new postal code file was used to update information on all geographical areas, which reduces the number of unclassified beneficiaries.
Legislative changes to the EI program came into effect in July 2016. While some of these changes affected all EI regions across Canada, eligible claimants in the 15 regions that posted notable increases in unemployment received additional weeks of regular benefits starting in July. More information on the 2016 EI changes is available on Employment and Social Development Canada's (ESDC) website. As a result of the changes to the EI program, historical comparisons are not recommended, except in areas outside of the 15 EI regions where eligible claimants received additional weeks of benefits. These 15 EI regions are Newfoundland and Labrador, Northern Ontario, Sudbury, Northern Manitoba, Southern Saskatchewan, Northern Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Southern Alberta, Northern Alberta, Calgary, Edmonton, Southern Interior British Columbia, Northern British Columbia, Whitehorse and Nunavut.
Statistics Canada CANSIM 276-0022 (Age, Province), 276-0043 (Occupation), 276-0035 (County level)
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