Question Period Note: EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROCESSING

Over the past two months, there has been an increased focus on the timely processing of EI benefits, specifically for clients in Quebec. This has included identifying delays associated to an increase in fraudulent applications and the increased integrity activities required to ensure that benefits are being paid to the actual client.

More recently key groups representing EI claimants and MPs from the Quebec region have called for the issue to be corrected. This includes demonstrations at certain Service Canada Centres within the Quebec region.

• The EI Program, including its Call Centre, remains at the forefront of the Government of Canada’s service to Canadians and the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in light of the recent surge of the Omicron variant.
• The Department recognizes the hardship that delays in receiving benefits can cause to claimants and their families. However, during this period of very high demand, some clients will wait longer before their claim is processed.
• We are working closely with claimants to resolve these issues as quickly as possible.
• The program has mobilized resources to prioritize cases of urgent need, situations where citizens have no income. Claimants will not lose any benefits as a result of any delays.

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is the largest federal service delivery organization in Canada, delivering almost $136 billion in benefits in 2019-20 to support Canadians at all stages of their lives. Since the beginning of the pandemic, ESDC has been tirelessly working to efficiently manage the processing of EI applications and call volumes and has issued $32.5 billion in EI benefits since April 1, 2021 (as of February 28, 2022).

EI Processing Speed of Payment

Service Canada’s key client service performance indicator for EI claims processing is Speed of Payment (SOP). This measures the percentage of initial and renewal claims for which payment (or non-payment notification) is given to claimants within 28 days of filing their application for benefits. The national SOP target is 80% annually. Despite influxes in claims due to the pandemic, this target has been met:
o In fiscal year 2020-21, SOP was met 88.8% of the time.
o From April 1 to February 28, 2022, SOP was met 86.4% of the time.
The average number of days for a client to receive an EI benefit payment was 19 days nationally in 2019-2020. From April 1st, 2021 to January 31, 2022, the average is 16 days nationally.
In the Quebec region, the average number of days for a client to receive an EI benefit payment was 19 days in 2019-20. From April 1st, 2021 to January 31, 2022, the average is 16 days in the Quebec region.
While there is an annual seasonal increase in the inventory at this time of year due to
“winter peak”, this normal seasonal pattern was amplified by the emergence of the Omicron variant.

As of February 28, 2022, the overall inventory for Initial & Renewal (I&R) claims was 204,757 and 119,099 were 29 days or older.

Of the 204,757, the province of Quebec has 79,882 or 39% of I&R claims pending, and 58,272 or 49% of the overall claims that were 29 days or older.

Usually, Quebec represents 27% of the overall inventory.

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