Government financial assistance provides temporary financial help to people who are unemployed or are experiencing low income. 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 MeasureRegular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits provide temporary financial help to people who lose their job through no fault of their own and cannot find another job. [1] This may be due to shortage of work, or seasonal or mass lay-offs. People who are unemployed can apply for EI benefits if they have paid into the EI account. It provides temporary financial help while they look for work or upgrade their skills. This measure includes people who are receiving regular EI benefits. 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).
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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).
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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.
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| 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 supports. Key FindingsA slightly higher percentage of children and youth in Dufferin County live in families receiving OW compared to Wellington County. In both Wellington and Dufferin, there are more families with children aged zero to six years receiving OW when compared to families with children aged seven to 12 or youth aged 13 to 17 receiving OW.
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Source: County of Dufferin, Community Services; County of Wellington, Social Services. January 2019. LimitationsThis measure does not provide information on the length of time that a family has relied on OW assistance.
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[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/