Newfoundland and Labrador saw noticeable increase in beneficiaries
The number of people receiving employment insurance benefits saw little change in June at 577,400, following eight consecutive months of declines, according to Statistics Canada.
In June, the number of beneficiaries was down in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. Newfoundland and Labrador recorded the most notable increase.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, the number of beneficiaries increased 4.1 per cent. In Manitoba, there was a 1.2 per cent increase in the number of beneficiaries.
Provincially, the largest percentage decline in the number of people receiving regular EI benefits was in Ontario, where it fell by 2.7 per cent to 169,500.
There was also a downward trend in Quebec where beneficiaries decreased 1.9 per cent and British Columbia where they decreased 1.3 per cent in June. This was the ninth consecutive monthly decline for both provinces.
In Prince Edward Island, the number of beneficiaries decreased by 1.3 per cent after two months of increases.
The number of people making EI claims saw a slight decrease in June. After two months of small increases, the number of initial and renewal claims edged down 1.6 per cent in June to 233,100.
The largest percentage decrease in claims was in Newfoundland and Labrador at 24.4 per cent, which offset a similar increase in May. In Saskatchewan, the number of claims declined 14 per cent, partially offsetting May's increase.
There were increases in claims in Prince Edward Island at 6.7 per cent and Alberta at 5.2 per cent.
Between June 2010 and June 2011, the number of people receiving regular benefits at the national level fell by 105,300.
