A by-the-numbers look at the federal program for extended EI benefits

OTTAWA — Last year’s federal budget unveiled a program to help eligible workers in 12 regions of the country hard hit by a downturn in commodity prices. Three regions were added in May. Eligible workers received an extra five weeks of regular benefits effective July 2016 but retroactive to January 2015. Long-tenured workers in the regions were also eligible for an extra 20 weeks of benefits, to a maximum of 70 weeks — again, starting last July but retroactive to January 2015.

Here is a breakdown, by region, of the number of claims and how much they have cost.

Claims for an extra five weeks of EI

Newfoundland and Labrador: 42,142

Sudbury: 3,216

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Northern Ontario: 18,076

Northern Manitoba: 5,017

Saskatoon: 4,769

Southern Saskatchewan: 5,233

Northern Saskatchewan: 7,522

Calgary: 23,225

Edmonton: 25,383

Northern Alberta: 7,518

Southern Alberta: 18,145

Southern Interior B.C.: 17,900

Northern B.C.: 10,971

Whitehorse: 629

Nunavut: 437

Total: 190,183

Claims by long-tenured workers

Newfoundland and Labrador: 5,085

Sudbury: 1,138

Northern Ontario: 4,162

Northern Manitoba: 779

Saskatoon: 2,351

Southern Saskatchewan: 2,628

Northern Saskatchewan: 2,248

Calgary: 16,389

Edmonton: 16,629

Northern Alberta: 3,720

Southern Alberta: 12,771

Southern Interior B.C.: 5,929

Northern B.C.: 3,304

Whitehorse: 201

Nunavut: 105

Total: 77,439

Average number of weeks of extra benefits

Newfoundland and Labrador: 7.8

Sudbury: 7.7

Northern Ontario: 7.9

Northern Manitoba: 7.5

Saskatoon: 8.2

Southern Saskatchewan: 8.4

Northern Saskatchewan: 8.7

Calgary: 9.6

Edmonton 9.0

Northern Alberta: 8.2

Southern Alberta: 9.1

Southern Interior B.C.: 7.9

Northern B.C.: 7.3

Whitehorse: 7.2

Nunavut: 7.4

Extra Benefits Paid

Newfoundland and Labrador: $162.5 million 

Sudbury: $15.2 million

Northern Ontario: $76.9 million

Northern Manitoba: $18.9 million  

Saskatoon: $27.5 million

Southern Saskatchewan: $30.9 million

Northern Saskatchewan: $39.5 million

Calgary: $185.3 million

Edmonton: $186.6 million

Northern Alberta: $45.5 million

Southern Alberta: $134.3 million

Southern Interior B.C.: $83.3 million

Northern B.C.: $47.8 million

Whitehorse: $2.9 million

Nunavut: $2 million

Total: $1.059 billion

(Source: Employment and Social Development Canada)

The Canadian Press

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