Dear John,

Today, the Fraser Institute released The Issues Facing Canada’s Employment Insurance Program [[link removed]]. It finds that the current design of Canada’s employment insurance program creates regional disparities, distorts labour markets, provides inadequate coverage for part-time workers and the self-employed, and will impose a financial burden on Canadians.

Below is the news release. Please share with your colleagues and friends.

Best,

Niels

Niels Veldhuis | President

The Fraser Institute

1770 Burrard Street, 4th Floor, Vancouver, BC V6J 3G7

Existing problems in EI shouldn’t be forgotten as reforms considered

VANCOUVER—The federal government has signalled that changes, perhaps major ones are on the way for the country’s Employment Insurance program but the existing problems with EI that pre-date the current recession shouldn’t be ignored or forgotten, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

“EI pre-recession was riddled with problems including the exclusion of an increasing portion of workers and inequitable treatment of workers depending on their residence,” said Jake Fuss, economist at the Fraser Institute and co-author of The Issues Facing Canada’s Employment Insurance Program [[link removed]].

“In some parts of the country, Canadians must work more hours to qualify for the same EI benefits as Canadians in other areas, and self-employed and some part-time workers don’t qualify at all, which raises serious questions about the program’s inequities and fairness,” commented Fuss.

Although EI is a federal program, key features of the program differ based on regions. For example, Canadians in regions with high unemployment enjoy easier access to employment insurance benefits—and receive those benefits for longer periods of time—than Canadians living in regions with lower unemployment.

Crucially, self-employed workers and part-time workers often don’t qualify for EI, meaning a significant portion of the Canadian workforce is left without any temporary income support.

Consequently, the EI program (in its current form) creates inequities between workers. It can also act as a disincentive to work and discourages labour mobility –which can hinder economic growth in certain regions. The EI program will also put enormous strains on federal public finances, perhaps to the point of requiring higher premiums.

“Canada’s Employment Insurance system has a number of flaws and shortcomings which are being highlighted by the COVID recession,” said Steven Globerman, study co-author and resident scholar at the Fraser Institute.

STAY UP TO DATE

SUPPORT THE FRASER INSTITUTE

The Fraser Institute has been ranked the #1 think tank in Canada, and the 14th best think tank out of more than 8,200 around the world! We keep Canadians – and decision-makers! – informed.

But we are only as strong as our supporters. We do not accept government grants or payments for research - we depend on individuals like you to continue our good work! We are a charity - your donation entitles you to a generous tax credit at tax time!

Contact Us [[link removed]] Privacy Policy [[link removed]] Unsubscribe [link removed] The Fraser Institute's mission is to improve the quality of life for Canadians, their families and future generations by studying, measuring and broadly communicating the effects of government policies, entrepreneurship and choice on their well-being. Email is one of the best tools we have to accomplish these goals. If you no longer wish to receive e-mail updates from us, click here to unsubscribe [link removed].

Fraser Institute 4th Floor, 1770 Burrard Street Vancouver, BC V6J 3G7