Number of Albertans on E.I. skyrockets
Posted Mar 24, 2016 11:10 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The number of Albertans collecting employment insurance has skyrocketed.
Statistics Canada says the number is up 91 per cent compared to one year ago, and two per cent since last month, with nearly 64,000 Albertans now receiving E.I. cheques.
Janice Plumstead, senior economist for Canada West Foundation, told 660 NEWS, it’s a sign many laid off Albertans are seeing their severance packages run dry.
“Now we’re seeing that more people are actually applying and receiving benefits,” she said. “We could probably expect to see this number increase over the next few months.”
In Calgary, the number of people collecting E.I. spiked 98 per cent compared to the start of 2015.
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