END THE SEASONAL EI GAP

Seasonal workers keep many Canadian communities running. They work, pay into Employment Insurance, and return to their jobs season after season.

But for many, EI benefits run out before their seasonal jobs begin again. They are left with a predictable period with no employment income and no EI benefits.

The federal government already recognizes this problem. Eligible seasonal workers in 13 designated EI regions can receive up to five additional weeks of benefits to help bridge this gap.

But seasonal workers outside those 13 regions can face exactly the same problem.

This is particularly serious in rural and tourism-dependent communities, where seasonal and other temporary employment is an important part of the local economy. For workers already dealing with low wages, part-time or precarious employment, or barriers to employment—including many women and people with disabilities—a predictable period without income can create significant hardship.

For four years, I have advocated for change. The Township of South Algonquin has supported this effort through a municipal resolution and outreach to other municipalities, and I have taken the issue directly to the federal level. I have taken this directly to the Canadian Employment Insurance Commission, who have said that the federal government is aware of the problem and studying it. 

We understand that permanent EI reform takes time. Workers should not have to go without income while government studies the solution.

We the undersigned call on the Government of Canada to provide immediate temporary relief to eligible seasonal workers experiencing an EI income gap, regardless of which EI economic region they live in, while a permanent national solution is developed.

Seasonal employment is not the same as unstable employment. In many communities, these are permanent, recurring jobs. The worker comes back. The employer comes back. The season comes back. The gap comes back too. Bridge the gap now while Canada builds a permanent solution.