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September 18, 2014EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE JULY 2014 In July 2014, the number (seasonally adjusted) of Nova Scotians receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits decreased by 540 persons (-2.1%) from the previous month to 25,080, and declined by 1,940 persons (-7.2%) over July 2013.
In July 2014, the number (seasonally adjusted) of Canadians receiving regular EI benefits fell by 3,770 persons (-0.7%) from the previous month to 499,330 and declined by 14,890 persons (-2.9%) over July 2013.
The majority (64.4%) of regular EI recipients in Nova Scotia in July 2014 were in the 25 to 54 age group, 26.0 % were in the 55 years and over age group, and 9.6% were in the 15 to 24 age group. In June 2014, 16,000 of Nova Scotia's recipients were men, and 9,080 were women.
On a year-over-year basis. the number of beneficiaries in the 15 to 24 age group decreased by 340 persons; the 25-54 age group decreased by 1,590 persons, and the 55 and over group increased by 10 individuals.
In July 2014, the number of Nova Scotians receiving regular EI benefits declined in all counties except Digby, compared to the same month a year ago. The largest declines in the number of EI recipients were recorded in Cape Breton (-450 persons) and Yarmouth (-390) counties.
On a year-to-date average basis, all counties saw declines in the first seven months of 2014 compared to the first seven months of 2013.
Looking closer at the largest counties (with the most recipients), Halifax had 5,100 EI recipients in July 2014, 0.2% (10 persons) less than a year earlier, and Cape Breton had 5,220 EI recipients in July 2014, 7.9 % (450 person) less than in July 2013. Note: county level data are not seasonally adjusted). Halifax county represented 21.5% of Nova Scotia recipients this month, and Cape Breton county accounted for 22.0% of recipients this month.
The percentage of Employment Insurance (EI) use July 2014 (ratio of the total number of regular EI beneficiaries to the population aged 15 and over, as of July 1, 2013) is mapped below by Census Division for Nova Scotia and Canada. Click on the images to enlarge the map.
In Nova Scotia, one third of the counties see relative higher rate of EI use (higher than 5%) as compared to the rest of the counties. Shelburne County has the highest rate of EI use (9.8%), followed by Victoria County (7.5%) and Digby County (6.6%). The lowest rate of EI use is observed in Halifax County (1.5%). Generally, counties in central and northern areas have lower incidence of EI use as compared to counties in eastern and western areas.
While looking at the percentage of EI use in Canada at Census Division level, it ranges from 0.04% (Stikine, British Columbia) to 20.5% (Northern Rockies, British Columbia). From an overall point of view, populated urban areas tend to have lower rate of EI use as compared to rural areas. It is worth mentioning that all the census divisions in Alberta have a less than 2% EI use rate.
Statistics Canada CANSIM (free) 276-0022 and 276-0032 (County level)
For more information, see the updated Employment Insurance section of the Economics and Statistics Division's "Labour Market Monthly" publication, by clicking
here.