Government financial assistance provides temporary financial help to people who lose their job through no fault of their own and cannot find another job.[1] The percentage of individuals and families that depend on government financial assistance is an indicator of the economic environment in a community. People that are unemployed and rely on government financial assistance have lower economic security, an important determinant of health.
| People receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits |
About the MeasurePeople who are unemployed can apply for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits if they have paid into the EI account. This measure includes people who receive regular benefits after the loss of their job through no fault of their own. This may be due to shortage of work, or seasonal or mass lay-offs. Key FindingsThe percentage of the labour force receiving regular EI benefits varies each month. There are large increases in EI beneficiaries during the winter months, followed by smaller increases in the summer months (graph 1). Overall, seasonal work variations impact the labour force in Dufferin more than in Wellington and Guelph. Also, while the labour force in Guelph was impacted more than the other areas after the 2008 economic crisis, the labour force in Dufferin took longer to recover from the recession (graph 2).
Loading Chart...
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 276-0035 - Employment Insurance Program (EI), beneficiaries by province, census division, total and regular income benefits, declared earnings, sex and age, monthly (persons), CANSIM (database). (Accessed: March 31 2016).
Loading Chart...
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 276-0035 - Employment Insurance Program (EI), beneficiaries by province, census division, total and regular income benefits, declared earnings, sex and age, monthly (persons), CANSIM (database). (Accessed: March 31 2016). LimitationsThis measure does not show the number or percentage of children whose parents are receiving EI, so this makes it difficult to understand the impact of this measure on children. Instead, this measure shows the percentage of the total labour force who rely on EI benefits, whether or not they have child dependents. People who receive other EI benefits are not included in this data.
|
| Children as dependents of caregivers on Ontario Works |
About the MeasureOntario Works (OW) provides two types of assistance to people who are in temporary financial need. Financial assistance provides income support and benefits to clients. Employment assistance helps people become and stay employed by providing job search support services, basic education, and job skills training.[2] This measure presents data on the percentage of children whose caregivers are receiving OW. Key FindingsA slightly higher percentage of children and youth in Wellington County live in families receiving OW compared to Dufferin County. In both Wellington and Dufferin, children, aged 0 to 6, are more likely to be in a family receiving OW when compared to children, aged 7 to 12, and youth, aged 13 to 17.
Loading Chart...
Source: County of Dufferin; County of Wellington, June 2015. WDG Report Card Coalition (distributor). www.wdgreportcard.com. LimitationsThis measure does not show the number or percentage of children whose parents are receiving EI, so this makes it difficult to understand the impact of this measure on children. Instead, this measure shows the percentage of the total labour force who rely on EI benefits, whether or not they have child dependents. People who receive other EI benefits are not included in this data.
|
[1] Government of Canada. (2016). EI regular benefits - overview. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-regular-benefit.html
[2] Ministry of Community and Social Services. (2016). Ontario works. Toronto, ON: Available at: http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/social/ow/