Vol. 138, No. 19 — September 22, 2004

Registration
SOR/2004-193 1 September, 2004

EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ACT

Regulations Amending the Employment Insurance Regulations

RESOLUTION

The Canada Employment Insurance Commission, pursuant to section 109 of the Employment Insurance Act (see footnote a), hereby makes the annexed Regulations Amending the Employment Insurance Regulations.

July 26, 2004

P.C. 2004-968 1 September, 2004

Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of State styled Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and the Treasury Board, pursuant to section 109 of the Employment Insurance Act (see footnote b), hereby approves the annexed Regulations Amending the Employment Insurance Regulations, made by the Canada Employment Insurance Commission.

REGULATIONS AMENDING THE EMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE REGULATIONS

AMENDMENT

1. Schedule II.2 to the Employment Insurance Regulations (see footnote 1) is replaced by the schedule that is set out in the schedule to these Regulations.

COMING INTO FORCE

2. These Regulations come into force on the day on which they are registered.

SCHEDULE
(Section 1)

SCHEDULE II.2
(Subsection 77.2(3))

TABLE OF WEEKS OF BENEFITS FOR PILOT PROJECT NO. 6

Number of hours of insurable employment in qualifying period	Regional Unemployment Rate
	6% and under	More than 6% but not more than 7%	More than 7% but not more than 8%	More than 8% but not more than 9%	More than 9% but not more than 10%	More than 10% but not more than 11%
420 - 454	0	0	0	0	0	0
455 - 489	0	0	0	0	0	0
490 - 524	0	0	0	0	0	0
525 - 559	0	0	0	0	0	26
560 - 594	0	0	0	0	25	27
595 - 629	0	0	0	23	25	27
630 - 664	0	0	22	24	26	28
665 - 699	0	20	22	24	26	28
700 - 734	19	21	23	25	27	29
735 - 769	19	21	23	25	27	29
770 - 804	20	22	24	26	28	30
805 - 839	20	22	24	26	28	30
840 - 874	21	23	25	27	29	31
875 - 909	21	23	25	27	29	31
910 - 944	22	24	26	28	30	32
945 - 979	22	24	26	28	30	32
980 - 1014	23	25	27	29	31	33
1015 - 1049	23	25	27	29	31	33
1050 - 1084	24	26	28	30	32	34
1085 - 1119	24	26	28	30	32	34
1120 - 1154	25	27	29	31	33	35
1155 - 1189	25	27	29	31	33	35
1190 - 1224	26	28	30	32	34	36
1225 - 1259	26	28	30	32	34	36
1260 - 1294	27	29	31	33	35	37
1295 - 1329	27	29	31	33	35	37
1330 - 1364	28	30	32	34	36	38
1365 - 1399	28	30	32	34	36	38
1400 - 1434	29	31	33	35	37	39
1435 - 1469	30	32	34	36	38	40
1470 - 1504	31	33	35	37	39	41
1505 - 1539	32	34	36	38	40	42
1540 - 1574	33	35	37	39	41	43
1575 - 1609	34	36	38	40	42	44
1610 - 1644	35	37	39	41	43	45
1645 - 1679	36	38	40	42	44	45
1680 - 1714	37	39	41	43	45	45
1715 - 1749	38	40	42	44	45	45
1750 - 1784	39	41	43	45	45	45
1785 - 1819	40	42	44	45	45	45
1820 -	41	43	45	45	45	45

Number of hours of insurable employment in qualifying period	Regional Unemployment Rate
	More than 11% but not more than 12%	More than 12% but not more than 13%	More than 13% but not more than 14%	More than 14% but not more than 15%	More than 15% but not more than 16%	More than 16%
420 - 454	0	0	31	33	35	37
455 - 489	0	29	31	33	35	37
490 - 524	28	30	32	34	36	38
525 - 559	28	30	32	34	36	38
560 - 594	29	31	33	35	37	39
595 - 629	29	31	33	35	37	39
630 - 664	30	32	34	36	38	40
665 - 699	30	32	34	36	38	40
700 - 734	31	33	35	37	39	41
735 - 769	31	33	35	37	39	41
770 - 804	32	34	36	38	40	42
805 - 839	32	34	36	38	40	42
840 - 874	33	35	37	39	41	43
875 - 909	33	35	37	39	41	43
910 - 944	34	36	38	40	42	44
945 - 979	34	36	38	40	42	44
980 - 1014	35	37	39	41	43	45
1015 - 1049	35	37	39	41	43	45
1050 - 1084	36	38	40	42	44	45
1085 - 1119	36	38	40	42	44	45
1120 - 1154	37	39	41	43	45	45
1155 - 1189	37	39	41	43	45	45
1190 - 1224	38	40	42	44	45	45
1225 - 1259	38	40	42	44	45	45
1260 - 1294	39	41	43	45	45	45
1295 - 1329	39	41	43	45	45	45
1330 - 1364	40	42	44	45	45	45
1365 - 1399	40	42	44	45	45	45
1400 - 1434	41	43	45	45	45	45
1435 - 1469	42	44	45	45	45	45
1470 - 1504	43	45	45	45	45	45
1505 - 1539	44	45	45	45	45	45
1540 - 1574	45	45	45	45	45	45
1575 - 1609	45	45	45	45	45	45
1610 - 1644	45	45	45	45	45	45
1645 - 1679	45	45	45	45	45	45
1680 - 1714	45	45	45	45	45	45
1715 - 1749	45	45	45	45	45	45
1750 - 1784	45	45	45	45	45	45
1785 - 1819	45	45	45	45	45	45
1820 -	45	45	45	45	45	45

REGULATORY IMPACT
ANALYSIS STATEMENT

(This statement is not part of the Regulations.)

Description

These amendments to the Employment Insurance Regulations (EI) are of a technical nature and are to correct an inadvertent omission made when introducing the recently approved Regulation regarding the Pilot Project Relating to Increased Weeks of Benefits (Pilot Project No. 6, EI Regulation 77.2, SOR/2004-146, May 21, 2004). If required, a detailed explanation of the pilot project objectives may be found in the Canada Gazette, Part II, Vol. 138, No. 11.

The pilot project is being tested in those economic regions where the unemployment rate was 10% or more in at least one month in the six-month period ending May 8, 2004 and increases EI entitlement by five additional weeks for all regular EI claimants in those regions. The regions involved are listed in the Regulation (Schedule II.1). A table included in the Regulation (Schedule II.2) sets out the number of weeks of benefits payable to claimants involved in the project based on a combination of hours worked and the unemployment rate in the claimant's region.

As noted above, the intent of Pilot Project No. 6 is to add five additional weeks of benefits to all claims for regular benefits established in 24 economic regions involved in the pilot project. The additional five weeks of benefits apply throughout the two-year pilot period irrespective of the unemployment rate in the 24 participating regions during the two-year period.

Schedule II.2- Table of Weeks of Benefits for Pilot Project No. 6

Inadvertently, the table included with Regulation 77.2 (Schedule II.2) in May 2004 added five additional weeks of benefits only when the monthly unemployment rate in a participating economic region remained at or above 10%. Left unaddressed, this would mean that individuals residing in one of the 24 participating regions would be unable to benefit if their regional unemployment rate dropped below 10%. The amended Schedule II.2 corrects the omission and ensures that all regular claimants in the 24 participating economic regions receive five additional weeks of entitlement regardless of any fluctuations in the monthly unemployment rate during the two-year pilot.

Given that pilot project participants will not begin to use the additional five weeks of benefits until the fall, these amendments will ensure that no pilot project participants will experience an interruption in their regular benefits as a result of the omission in Regulation 77.2 (Schedule II.2).

Alternatives

This amendment corrects an inadvertent omission in the current Regulations so consideration of other alternatives is not necessary.

Benefits and Costs

The original estimated costs included claimants in all 24 economic regions regardless of fluctuations in the monthly unemployment rate. Therefore, these regulatory amendments do not involve additional costs to the EI Program related to claimants who are participating in the pilot project. They simply ensure that an inadvertent omission will not prevent some claimants in the 24 economic regions from participating in Pilot Project No. 6 as intended.

Consultation

These amendments are to correct an omission in the Regulations and additional consultations are not required.

Compliance and Enforcement

An analysis of the pilot will be included as part of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada's annual Monitoring and Assessment Report.

Contact

Jim Little
Senior Policy Advisor
Legislative and Quantitative Policy Analysis
Employment Program, Policy and Design
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
140 Promenade du Portage, 9th Floor
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0J9
Telephone: (819) 997-8628
FAX: (819) 953-9381

Footnote a

S.C. 1996, c. 23

Footnote b

S.C. 1996, c. 23

Footnote 1

SOR/96-332

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