Mr. Speaker, for workers undergoing major treatment or needing more time to recover from an illness or injury, that gap from when their benefits run out to when they are well enough to return to work is a financially stressful time.
That is why, in budget 2021, we are extending EI sickness benefits from 15 to 26 weeks. This extension will provide nearly 169,000 Canadians every year with additional time and flexibility.