Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, HRSDC, uses economic outlooks, such as unemployment rate, labour force, produced by the Department of Finance, the Conference Board of Canada and private financial institutions to forecast the annual number of EI applicants by province. The forecasted number of EI applicants in the EI economic region of Newfoundland and Labrador or divisions of this economic region is not available. It is important to note that the province of Newfound and Labrador is divided into two EI economic regions: St. John’s; and Newfoundland and Labrador.
In response to (b), HRSDC estimates that 20,100 claimants in the EI economic region of Newfoundland and Labrador will receive a higher benefit rate due to the eight month extension of pilot project 11 until June 25, 2011. Estimates are not available for divisions of the economic region of Newfoundland and Labrador.
In response to (c), HRSDC estimates that $17 million of additional EI benefits will be paid to claimants in the EI economic region of Newfoundland and Labrador due to the eight month extension of pilot project 11 until June 25, 2011. Estimates are not available for divisions of the economic region of Newfoundland and Labrador.