Based on the 2009 Employment Insurance data (those reporting EI income), there are some interesting trends worth noting. Certainly the wide swing in the ratio of EI usage in Canada is pretty remarkable. For every 100 people in NL that report employment income, nearly 37 report EI income. In Saskatchewan it is under 11 per 100.
The most interesting statistic, however; has to do with the urban/rural usage of EI – particularly in the Maritime Provinces. In the urban areas of Moncton, Saint John and Halifax, EI usage is actually around or below the national average and well below many urban centres in Ontario and Quebec. In other words, EI usage is actually higher in many Ontario urban centres than in Maritime Province urban centres. The recent recession has amplified this effect, however. But this does show the extend to which rural Atlantic Canada has become dependent on EI. In New Brunswick, outside of Moncton and Saint John for every 100 persons reporting employment income in 2009 there were around 32 reporting EI income.
Ratio of EI Income Recipients to Employment Income Earners (2009)
per 100 Employment Income Earners
| Canada | 15.9 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 36.7 |
| Prince Edward Island | 31.1 |
| Nova Scotia | 21.3 |
| New Brunswick | 26.1 |
| Quebec | 20.3 |
| Ontario | 14.2 |
| Manitoba | 12.1 |
| Saskatchewan | 10.8 |
| Alberta | 11.2 |
| British Columbia | 13.6 |
Source: Statistics Canada CANSIM Table Table 111-0007.
EI Payments (total) by Province – Per Capita (2009)
| Canada |
$580.4 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador |
$1,916.9 |
| Prince Edward Island |
$1,509.2 |
| Nova Scotia |
$822.4 |
| New Brunswick |
$1,111.9 |
| Quebec |
$698.2 |
| Ontario |
$506.4 |
| Manitoba |
$374.9 |
| Saskatchewan |
$388.7 |
| Alberta |
$445.3 |
| British Columbia |
$478.1 |
Source: Statistics Canada CANSIM Table Table 111-0007.
Ratio of EI Income Recipients to Employment Income Earners (2009)
per 100 Employment Income Earners
| Saguenay, Quebec | 25.7 |
| Sherbrooke, Quebec | 23.3 |
| Windsor, Ontario | 21.9 |
| Greater Sudbury, Ontario | 18.5 |
| St. John’s, NL | 18.3 |
| Brantford, Ontario | 18.1 |
| Abbotsford-Mission, British Columbia | 18.0 |
| St. Catharines-Niagara, Ontario | 17.4 |
| Guelph, Ontario | 17.2 |
| Québec, Quebec | 16.9 |
| Montréal, Quebec | 16.4 |
| Saint John, New Brunswick | 16.2 |
| Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, ON | 16.2 |
| Moncton, New Brunswick | 16.0 |
| Thunder Bay, Ontario | 15.8 |
| Barrie, Ontario | 15.2 |
| London, Ontario | 15.1 |
| Kelowna, British Columbia | 14.8 |
| Oshawa, Ontario | 14.3 |
| Peterborough, Ontario | 14.2 |
| Hamilton, Ontario | 13.5 |
| Toronto, Ontario | 12.8 |
| Halifax, Nova Scotia | 12.4 |
| Winnipeg, Manitoba | 11.7 |
| Vancouver, British Columbia | 11.6 |
| Edmonton, Alberta | 11.4 |
| Calgary, Alberta | 11.0 |
| Kingston, Ontario | 10.9 |
| Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | 9.7 |
| Victoria, British Columbia | 9.6 |
| Regina, Saskatchewan | 8.9 |
Source: Statistics Canada CANSIM Table Table 111-0007.