Mowat Centre EI Task Force

The Mowat Centre EI Task Force proposed the creation of a redesigned federal support system for the unemployed. In a discussion moderated by Matthew Mendelsohn, panelists were asked to consider how the changes might impact workers and businesses in Ontario and across the country, if they addressed the program’s well-known shortcomings and what the next steps might be for EI reform. Panelists included Dr. Arthur Sweetman, Ontario Research Chair in Health Human Resources at McMaster University; Catherine Swift of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business; and Armine Yalnizyan, Senior Economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Reports

Making It Work

November 16, 2011 | Mowat Centre

The Final Recommendations of the Mowat Centre EI Task Force

The paper proposes a blueprint for a strengthened national program to support the unemployed. Its recommendations focus on the architecture of support for the unemployed and the principles that should drive reform. Read More

Trading Places

November 11, 2011 | Mowat Centre

Single Adults Replace Lone Parents as the New Face of Social Assistance in Canada

John Stapleton examines changes in social assistance caseloads coming out of the major economic recession that began in the fall of 2008. Read More

Fixing the Hole in EI

November 11, 2011 | Mowat Centre

Temporary Income Assistance for the Unemployed

Michael Mendelson and Ken Battle investigate the gaps in Canada's system of support for the unemployed and propose to fill them with Temporary Unemployment Assistance, a new federal benefit. Read More

The Income Sources for Long-Term Workers Who Exhaust Employment Insurance Benefits

November 11, 2011 | Mowat Centre Ross Finnie, David Gray, Ian Irvine, and Yan Zhang chart the labour market outcomes and income sources of individuals who exhaust EI regular benefits. The focus is on individuals who worked for an extended period prior to receiving EI. Read More

Hidden Regional Differentiation

November 11, 2011 | Mowat Centre

EI and Unequal Federal Support for Low Income Workers

Jon Medow analyzes regional differentiation in EI weekly benefit calculation and the uneven federal approach to support of low income workers. Read More

Employment Insurance: A Macroeconomic Comparison with Other Income-Support Initiatives

September 29, 2011 | Mowat Centre William Scarth analyzes three broad approaches to the provision of income support from a macro-economic perspective. Read More

Unemployment Compensation and Adjustment Assistance for Displaced Workers

September 29, 2011 | Mowat Centre

Policy Options for Canada

Craig Riddell examines the role of EI in providing support to “displaced workers,” those who permanently lose their jobs because of changing economic circumstances. Read More

The Impact of Regionally Differentiated Entitlement to EI on Charter-Protected Canadians

September 29, 2011 | Mowat Centre Michael Pal and Sujit Choudhry investigate the constitutionality of regional entrance requirements in Canada's EI system. Read More

What do we know about the relationship between regionalized aspects of the unemployment insurance system and internal migration in Canada?

September 29, 2011 | Mowat Centre Kathleen Day and Stanley Winer review the past four decades of empirical research on the relationship between internal migration and regional variation in the generosity of Canada’s unemployment insurance system. Read More

Training Policy for the 21st Century

September 7, 2011 | Mowat Centre

Decentralization and Workforce Development Programs for Unemployed Working-Age Adults in Canada

Alison Bramwell examines the evolution of active labour market programs in Canada. Read More

Improving the Governance of Employment and Training Policy in Canada

September 7, 2011 | Mowat Centre Donna Wood and Thomas Klassen propose changes to the governance of EI and training. Read More

The Effectiveness of Training for Displaced Workers with Long Prior Job Tenure

September 7, 2011 | Mowat Centre Stephen Jones investigates the effectiveness of policies to help workers displaced from long-tenure jobs. Read More

Asymmetry at Work

September 7, 2011 | Mowat Centre

Quebec’s Distinct Implementation of Programs for the Unemployed

Alain Noël examines four recent Quebec labour market and income support initiatives. Read More

Reforming EI Special Benefits

August 24, 2011 | Mowat Centre

Exploring Alternative Financing and Delivery Options

Luc Turgeon analyzes the design of "special benefits" in EI, such as parental and maternity leave. Read More

The Design of Employment Insurance in a Federation

August 24, 2011 | Mowat Centre Robin Boadway and Jean-Denis Garon explore the challenges of designing EI systems in federal countries. Read More

Employment Insurance in the New World of Work

August 24, 2011 | Mowat Centre Morley Gunderson examines how Canada's EI system interacts with the changing world of work. Read More

The Challenge of Expanding EI Coverage

August 24, 2011 | Mowat Centre

Charting Exclusions and Partial Exclusions on the Bases of Gender, Immigration Status, Age, and Place of Residence and Exploring Avenues for Inclusive Policy Redesign

Leah F. Vosko identifies the gaps in EI coverage in today's labour market. Read More

Postal Code Lottery

April 14, 2011 | Mowat Centre

Canada's EI System Compared

Many aspects of the Employment Insurance system in Canada are controversial, but perhaps its most controversial element is the regional differentiation that characterizes access to, length of and size of benefits. This Mowat Note looks to 17 other OECD countries, including all eight OECD federations, to see how they address this thorny issue. Read More