Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to take part in this adjournment debate on employment insurance and more specifically on the topic of workers in seasonal industries.
I would like to thank my colleague from Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot for doing such an excellent job of defending the interests of her constituents.
Our government knows that some workers in seasonal industries are struggling to qualify for enough EI benefits to carry them through the off-season. It has been a challenging and stressful situation for many workers, families and communities. While EI can only ever be part of the solution, I want the member to know that our government understands and we are taking action.
In budget 2018, we addressed this problem head-on.
We offered $10 million in immediate aid to Quebec, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island to help seasonal workers.
Budget 2018 also allocated $230 million to further assist these workers. Of that amount, $189 million was used to support a new pilot project to provide up to five additional weeks of EI regular benefits to eligible seasonal claimants.
This pilot project is being implemented in 13 targeted EI economic regions impacted by the effects of recurrent, seasonal income gaps.
The pilot project will help cover lost income and provide tens of thousands of people and families with the support they need, when they need it most.
We are also making available $41 million to all provinces and territories through their labour market development agreements.
This funding will enable provinces and territories to provide skills training and employment supports for workers in seasonal industries, such as employment counselling, job search assistance and training, which could include income supports.
These agreements provide flexibility for jurisdictions to tailor interventions to the needs of their local labour markets.
These are just some examples of the significant changes that our government has made to modernize the EI system and reduce the number of workers left without an unemployment safety net.
We have also revised the eligibility threshold for people entering or re-entering the workforce. We have reduced the waiting period and made working while on claim a permanent part of the EI program and also extended it to maternity and sickness benefits.
Together, these initiatives will have a significant and a positive impact on workers in seasonal industries. We are not finished. More work is ahead.
I thank the House for the chance to address this issue.