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July 21, 2016EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, MAY 2016
In May 2016, the number (seasonally adjusted) of Nova Scotians receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits decreased by 210 persons (0.8 per cent) from the previous month to 27,130 and declined by 1,480 persons (-5.2 per cent) over May 2015.
In May 2016, the number (seasonally adjusted) of Canadians receiving regular EI benefits increased 0.9 per cent (4,780 persons) from the previous month to 544,930 and increased by 12,790 (2.4 per cent) over May 2015.
The number (seasonally adjusted) of Nova Scotians receiving regular EI benefits in May 2016 accounted for 5.6 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.
AGE
The majority (63.5 per cent) of regular EI recipients in Nova Scotia were in the 25 to 54 age group, who make up 62.5 per cent of the labour force. Although they account for 22.8 per cent of the labour force, 26.6 per cent of EI recipients were in the 55 years and over age group. A further 9.9 per cent of EI recipients were in the 15 to 24 age group, though they are 14.6 per cent of the labour force.
For people aged 55 years and over, EI beneficiaries accounted for 6.5 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 3.8 per cent.
On a year-over-year basis, the number of beneficiaries in the 15 to 24 age group decreased by 160 persons, the 25-54 age group decreased by 1,090 persons, and the 55 years and over group decreased by 230 individuals.
COUNTIES
In May 2016, fourteen counties reported lower regular EI beneficiaries compared to a year ago with three counties showing an increase and one county with no change.
On a year-to-date basis (Jan-May. 2016 vs. Jan-May 2015, seasonally adjusted), EI beneficiaries are down 1.4 per cent lower in Nova Scotia as decreases in twelve counties outweighed increases in five including the most populous counties of Halifax and Cape Breton.
YEAR TO DATE - PROVINCES
Across the country, seven provinces saw year to date increases in EI beneficiaries. Alberta (+69.7%) led provinces in year to date EI beneficiary growth, followed by Saskatchewan (+32.5%) and Manitoba (+12.3%). On a year to date basis, Quebec (-5.2%) and Ontario (-3.9%) posted declines in the number of EI beneficiaries. The average across Canada was a 5.0% increase in year to date EI beneficiaries in May.
EI BENEFICIARIES AS A SHARE OF THE UNEMPLOYED BY PROVINCE
In Nova Scotia, EI beneficiaries accounted for 65.2 per cent of the unemployed from January to May 2016, compared to a Canadian rate of 39.5 per cent. Across the country, EI beneficiaries accounted for the highest shares of the unemployed in the Atlantic provinces, led by Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick. EI beneficiaries accounted for the lowest shares in Ontario, followed by British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba.
Statistics Canada CANSIM 276-0022 (Age, Province), 276-0035 (County level).