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Sheehan hopes extending EI benefits will keep people from leaving the Sault

The additional EI benefits will allow those workers laid off to wait for their industry to rebound, find another job or retrain to work in a different field
15-10-19 Terry Sheehan DT
SooToday file photo of MP Terry Sheehan. Darren Taylor/SooToday

Because northern Ontario has been identified as one of 15 regions hardest hit by increases in unemployment, workers laid off in Sault Ste. Marie are being offered the opportunity to extend their Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.

The changes were introduced in the Liberal government’s 2016 budget and offer up to 20 additional weeks of benefits to long-tenured workers, up to a maximum total of 70 weeks.

MP Terry Sheehan said the additional EI benefits will allow those workers laid off to wait for their industry to rebound, find another job or retrain to work in a different field.

“I found when I was knocking on doors this summer that many people’s EI had cut out. This forces them to leave the area,” said Sheehan.

He hopes the additional EI benefits will help retain workers who are considering moving elsewhere for work.

Additionally, those laid off workers who were pulling regular EI benefits are entitled to an additional 5 weeks.

The changes are retroactive to January 2015, which Sheehan said will include many Tenaris Algoma Tubes workers whose benefits have already expired.

“They are going to have to go down to Service Canada and restart their EI claim,” said Sheehan.

EI claims increase by 7.8-percent between December 2014 and December 2015, and the government has proposed through the current budget to provide an additional $19-million to Service Canada to enable them to meet the increased demand.

“My office is fielding a lot of EI calls and helping a lot of constituents with this,” said Sheehan.

The changes, which came into effect earlier this month, also included reducing the waiting period for EI benefits to just one week, from the previous two weeks.

“Two weeks is a long time to go without money,” said Sheehan.

Sheehan said the changes go ‘hand in glove’ with the government’s new child tax benefit and infrastructure spending.

“These are all things that are meant to spark the economy, at the same time we retain the people in the riding,” said Sheehan.

The duration of work-sharing agreements, which were often used by Tenaris, are also being extended through the EI program, and the Liberals have repealed rules enacted by the previous government which forced some unemployed workers to commute and accept lower-paying jobs if none were available in their community.

Attempts to contact Cody Alexander, who represents Tenaris Algoma Tubes workers as president of the United Steelworkers Local 9548, were unsuccessful.


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Kenneth Armstrong

About the Author: Kenneth Armstrong

Kenneth Armstrong is a news reporter and photojournalist who regularly covers municipal government, business and politics and photographs events, sports and features.
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