But initial and renewal claims are on the rise
In July, 672,200 people received regular employment insurance benefits, down 31,400 from June.
This decline offsets increases in the spring. Since the peak of June 2009, the decline in the number of beneficiaries has totalled 157,100, offsetting nearly one-half of the 329,000 increase that occurred during the recession.
However, the number of initial and renewal claims increased by 6,200 in July to hit 247,900. The number of claims has been trending up since March, increasing by 17,700, indicating a potential increase in beneficiaries in the months to come.
In Quebec, the number of regular EI beneficiaries declined by 5,800 to 186,800 in July, more than offsetting increases in the two preceding months in that province. Since the peak of June 2009, the number of beneficiaries in Quebec has fallen by 23,200 (-11.0 per cent).
In Ontario, the number of beneficiaries fell by 4,600 in July, following a drop of 3,900 in June. In Alberta, the number of beneficiaries decreased by 1,700 to 47,000 in July, the ninth consecutive monthly decline.
New Brunswick also saw a significant decrease in beneficiaries, down 1,200 in July.
Newfoundland and Labrador was the only province to record an increase in beneficiaries in July, up 950 to 40,000.
Between July 2009 and July 2010, the number of male EI beneficiaries fell by 86,400 to 349,000 (-19.8 per cent). This was the fifth consecutive year-over-year decline.
The fastest rates of decline occurred among young men aged 15 to 24 (-31 per cent) and men aged 25 to 54 (-22.1 per cent). The number of beneficiaries also declined for men aged 55 and over (-3.1 per cent).
The number of female beneficiaries declined at a slower pace during the same period, down 7.1 per cent (-23,400). The number of female beneficiaries aged 25 to 54 declined by 23,700 (-9.5 per cent), while the number among those aged 15 to 24 fell by 4,000 (-16.9 per cent). In contrast, the number of female beneficiaries aged 55 and over increased by 4,300 (7.8 per cent).
