In terms of the previous temporary measures introduced in budget 2021, at the start of the pandemic the government responded rapidly by introducing temporary and emergency income support measures that ensured that people could continue to make ends meet even as the pandemic prevented them from working. Following this, recognizing that many workers were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic—they lost their jobs or worked reduced hours—a set of temporary measures was introduced through budget 2021 to facilitate and maintain access to EI as the economy recovered.
A number of temporary measures were introduced in budget 2021, including certain common entrance requirements and EI simplification measures. These temporary measures facilitated greater access to a more simplified EI program during the pandemic and subsequent waves of unemployment. However, as Canada's economy continues to recover from COVID-19, the lessons learned from those temporary measures, as well as from the pandemic and ongoing consultations, will inform the long-term plan to modernize the EI program.