EI Program Characteristics for the period of August 9, 2026 to September 5, 2026

Province / Territory	Economic Region Code	Economic Region Name ^{Footnote 1}	Unemployment Rate ^{Footnote 2}^{Footnote 3}^{Footnote 4}	Number of Insured Hours Required to Qualify for Regular Benefits	Minimum Number of Weeks Payable for Regular Benefits	Maximum Number of Weeks Payable for Regular Benefits	Number of Best Weeks Required for Benefit Calculation
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador	01	St. John's	7.1	630	17	40	20
Newfoundland and Labrador	02	Newfoundland/Labrador^{Footnote 5}	11.4	490	23	45	16
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island	65	Charlottetown	5.6	700	14	36	22
Prince Edward Island	66	Prince Edward Island^{Footnote 9}	9.4	560	20	44	18
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia	04	Eastern Nova Scotia	8.5	595	18	42	19
Nova Scotia	05	Western Nova Scotia	6.9	665	15	38	21
Nova Scotia	06	Halifax	5.6	700	14	36	22
New Brunswick
New Brunswick	07	Fredericton-Moncton-Saint John	6.6	665	15	38	21
New Brunswick	08	Madawaska-Charlotte	5.4	700	14	36	22
New Brunswick	09	Restigouche-Albert	10.3	525	21	45	17
Quebec
Quebec	10	Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine	8	630	17	40	20
Quebec	11	Quebec	4	700	14	36	22
Quebec	12	Trois-Rivières	6.6	665	15	38	21
Quebec	13	South Central Quebec	2.6	700	14	36	22
Quebec	14	Sherbrooke	4.2	700	14	36	22
Quebec	15	Montérégie	3.8	700	14	36	22
Quebec	16	Montreal	6.5	665	15	38	21
Quebec	17	Central Quebec	4.1	700	14	36	22
Quebec	18	North Western Quebec	4.4	700	14	36	22
Quebec	19	Lower Saint Lawrence and North Shore	5.3	700	14	36	22
Quebec	20	Hull	6.4	665	15	38	21
Quebec	21	Chicoutimi-Jonquière	3.7	700	14	36	22
Ontario
Ontario	22	Ottawa	6.9	665	15	38	21
Ontario	23	Eastern Ontario	5.7	700	14	36	22
Ontario	24	Kingston	5.8	700	14	36	22
Ontario	25	Central Ontario	5.9	700	14	36	22
Ontario	26	Oshawa	8.5	595	18	42	19
Ontario	27	Toronto	6.8	665	15	38	21
Ontario	28	Hamilton	6.4	665	15	38	21
Ontario	29	St. Catharines	6.4	665	15	38	21
Ontario	30	London	8.3	595	18	42	19
Ontario	31	Niagara	7.1	630	17	40	20
Ontario	32	Windsor	7.8	630	17	40	20
Ontario	33	Kitchener	7.8	630	17	40	20
Ontario	34	Huron	8	630	17	40	20
Ontario	35	South Central Ontario	6.3	665	15	38	21
Ontario	36	Sudbury	6.2	665	15	38	21
Ontario	37	Thunder Bay	5.7	700	14	36	22
Ontario	38	Northern Ontario	7.4	630	17	40	20
Manitoba
Manitoba	39	Winnipeg	5.6	700	14	36	22
Manitoba	40	Southern Manitoba	5.7	700	14	36	22
Manitoba	41	Northern Manitoba	29	420	32	45	14
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan	42	Regina	6.1	665	15	38	21
Saskatchewan	43	Saskatoon	6.5	665	15	38	21
Saskatchewan	44	Southern Saskatchewan	6.7	665	15	38	21
Saskatchewan	45	Northern Saskatchewan	15.3	420	30	45	14
Alberta
Alberta	46	Calgary	6.6	665	15	38	21
Alberta	47	Edmonton	6.9	665	15	38	21
Alberta	48	Northern Alberta	8.9	595	18	42	19
Alberta	49	Southern Alberta	7.1	630	17	40	20
British Columbia
British Columbia	50	Southern Interior British Columbia	8.2	595	18	42	19
British Columbia	51	Abbotsford	8.1	595	18	42	19
British Columbia	52	Vancouver	6.3	665	15	38	21
British Columbia	53	Victoria	5.5	700	14	36	22
British Columbia	54	Southern Coastal British Columbia	7	665	15	38	21
British Columbia	55	Northern British Columbia	9.5	560	20	44	18
Territories^{Footnote 10}
Yukon	59	Whitehorse	5.5	700	14	36	22
Yukon	60	Yukon^{Footnote 6}	9.5	560	20	44	18
Northwest Territories	61	Yellowknife	4.2	700	14	36	22
Northwest Territories	62	Northwest Territories^{Footnote 7}	13.2	420	26	45	14
Nunavut	63	Iqaluit	6.1	665	15	38	21
Nunavut	64	Nunavut^{Footnote 8}	14.5	420	28	45	14

Violations from previous EI claims may increase the number of hours required to qualify for EI benefits. For more information on eligibility requirements.

Footnotes

Footnote 1

The boundaries of these regions are determined by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). For geographic descriptions and maps of EI economic regions, see the ESDC website: Canada's EI Economic Regions

Return to Footnote 1 referrer

Footnote 2

The regional rates of unemployment are produced by Statistics Canada for use by the Employment Insurance program.

Return to Footnote 2 referrer

Footnote 3

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this table is correct. If any discrepancies are found, regional rates of unemployment for the Employment Insurance program produced and published by Statistics Canada take precedent.

Return to Footnote 3 referrer

Footnote 4

The monthly regional unemployment rates for Employment Insurance purposes (except for the territories) are seasonally adjusted 3-month-moving averages.

Return to Footnote 4 referrer

Footnote 5

This region excludes St. John's.

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Footnote 6

Effective October 12, 2014, Yukon is divided into two EI economic regions: Whitehorse and Yukon (not including Whitehorse).

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Footnote 7

Effective October 12, 2014, the Northwest Territories is divided into two EI economic regions: Yellowknife and Northwest Territories (not including Yellowknife).

Return to Footnote 7 referrer

Footnote 8

Effective October 12, 2014, Nunavut is divided into two EI economic regions: Iqaluit and Nunavut (not including Iqaluit).

Return to Footnote 8 referrer

Footnote 9

Effective October 12, 2014, Prince Edward Island is divided into two EI economic regions: Charlottetown and Prince Edward Island (not including Charlottetown).

Return to Footnote 9 referrer

Footnote 10

The monthly regional unemployment rates for Employment Insurance purposes in the territories are subject to the greater of a seasonally adjusted 3-month-moving average or 12-month-moving average.

Return to Footnote 10 referrer

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Date modified:: 2019-03-01