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October 24, 2024EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, AUGUST 2024 Monthly (August 2024 vs July 2024, seasonally adjusted regular beneficiaries)
In August 2024, there were 22,280 Nova Scotians in receipt of regular employment insurance benefits (seasonally adjusted). Nova Scotia's seasonally adjusted regular employment insurance usage rose by 40 (+0.2%) from July to August .
There were 494,070 Canadians that received regular employment insurance benefits in August 2024 (seasonally adjusted), an increase of 7,440 (+1.5%) from July 2024.
When compared to July 2024, only Quebec (+5.4%) and Alberta (+1.9%) reported employment insurance usage increases that were above the Canadian average (+1.5%). Saskatchewan reported the largest decline in employment insurance usage (-1.3%).
The number of employment insurance beneficiaries amounted to 4.1% of the labour force in Nova Scotia in August 2024. Nationally, the share of beneficiaries was 2.2% of the labour force. Newfoundland and Labrador had the largest share of beneficiaries of the labour force, while British Columbia had the lowest.
Year-to-date (January-August 2024 vs January-August 2023)
Comparing the first eight months of 2024 to the same period in 2023, Nova Scotia's employment insurance usage was up by 1.3%. National employment insurance usage was up by 14.6% with gains in eight provinces. The largest gain in employment insurance usage was in Ontario. Only Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick reported lower employment insurance usage compared to the same period in 2023.
Year-over-year (August 2024 vs August 2023, seasonally adjusted regular beneficiaries)
Use of employment insurance (as a share of the labour force) was lower for workers aged 15-24 and 25-54, while employment insurance use was higher for workers aged 55 and older. Across all age cohorts, male use of employment insurance was higher as a share of the labour force than female use of employment insurance.
Use of employment insurance was down for all female age cohorts as well as males aged 15 to 24, while it was up for males aged 25 to 54 and age 55 and over compared to August 2023.
Comparing unadjusted regular beneficiaries for August 2024 against August 2023, use of employment insurance grew for eleven counties with the fastest growth for Colchester, Kings, Halifax and Victoria counties. Five counties reported declines in employment insurance, led by Digby (-9.9%). Annapolis and Guysborough counties had no change in employment insurance usage compared to the same month in 2023.
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0011-01 Employment insurance beneficiaries (regular benefits) by province and territory, monthly, seasonally adjusted; Table 14-10-0323-01 Employment insurance beneficiaries by census division, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality; Table 14-10-0287-01 Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle, last 5 months
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