Albertans accessing Employment Insurance (EI) benefits during a period of recession skyrocketed 91 per cent since the start of 2015, according to a report from Statistics Canada.
Alberta residents receiving benefits hit 63,800 in January, up from approximately 31,000 last year. The total number of EI recipients increased by 7.1 per cent across Canada, largely due to increases in Alberta.
Judy Adams, an operator of the volunteer-run Irricana Food Bank, said many people in the area need help while waiting to find new jobs.
“We’re about half (the rate of donations) of what we’ve done the whole year last year,” Adams said. “We’re hoping everyone will find a job, but we know they won’t. A few of them who are really trying, they’re taking lower paying jobs.
“We’re hoping it will turn around. You never know. I don’t think it will for a while.”
Crossfield Mayor Nathan Anderson said despite job loss, many residents of the town were moving forward with optimism.
“There’s lots of money being spent (in Crossfield), particularly in development,” he said. “They’re betting on that moving forward. But (some) individual families, people you hear about, you know who have lost jobs, hearing there is lots of development, that doesn’t make them feel better.
“They have to pay bills and they’re nervous. I’ll bet you there’s few people in this province who haven’t been affected.”
According to Statistics Canada, Alberta’s current jobless rate is 7.9 per cent, up from 5.4 per cent during the same period in 2015 and the highest rate since 1995.
“I travel quite a bit, and I don’t mean to belittle those who are struggling, but our struggles in Alberta are other people’s best times,” Anderson said. “We maybe can’t travel as much, maybe we have to downsize our home a little bit, but it doesn’t mean we’re starving or sick. You still have your family and friends.
“I’m totally confident we can weather (the downturn).”
An overhaul made as part of the most recent federal budget will see the EI waiting period reduced from two weeks to one week, effective Jan. 1, 2017. Benefits in the province will also be extended temporarily, with an additional 70 weeks of coverage granted.
