A man looks job offers at a Resource Canada office in Montreal April 9, 2009. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
June 21, 2012 - 9:31 AM
OTTAWA - Statistics Canada says the number of people receiving regular EI benefits dropped for the third consecutive month in April, down 28,600 to 513,700.
The agency says the number of beneficiaries fell in nine provinces, with the largest percentage declines occurring in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
To receive EI benefits, individuals must first submit a claim and the number of claims provides an indication of the number of people who could end up on EI.
Nationally, the number of initial and renewal claims was essentially unchanged in April at 235,700, a level which has held relatively stable since September 2011.
On a year-over-year basis, the number of men receiving regular benefits fell 16.4 per cent to 366,800, continuing a string of declines that started in March 2010.
The number of women on EI dropped 15 per cent from April 2011 to 195,500.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012