PEI

More Islanders on EI in 2016

As the end of 2016 approaches, it appears more Prince Edward Islanders are having to rely on employment insurance this year than last.

More Islanders on EI in 2016

The number of employment insurance recipients on P.E.I. has been relatively stable in 2016, outside of a spike in June. (CBC)

As the end of 2016 approaches, it appears more Prince Edward Islanders are having to rely on employment insurance this year than last.

The number of P.E.I. EI recipients, seasonally adjusted, was up in September to 7,690, the second month in a row of increases. The number of recipients saw a dramatic spike in June, when it rose to 8,350.

Apart from that spike, the number of EI recipients has been relatively stable in 2016, after rising steadily through the last half of 2015.

On average, there are more Islanders on EI this year.

  • Monthly average, 2015: 7,391
  • Monthly average, Jan.-Sept, 2016: 7686

The numbers are up for both men and women, and across all major age categories.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kevin Yarr

Web journalist

Kevin Yarr is the early morning web journalist at CBC P.E.I. Kevin has a specialty in data journalism, and how statistics relate to the changing lives of Islanders. He has a BSc and a BA from Dalhousie University, and studied journalism at Holland College in Charlottetown. You can reach him at kevin.yarr@cbc.ca.