Workers who lose their jobs due to climate-related disasters like wildfires will now have access to enhanced unemployment benefits under a new federal pilot program.
Blacklock's Reporter says the three-year initiative, announced by the Employment Insurance Commission, is set to cost $4.3 million and aims to provide relief to those impacted by extreme weather events.
“With climate change, natural disasters are expected to become a new reality,” the Commission stated in a Regulatory Impact Analysis. It cited longer and more intense wildfire seasons, including the 2024 season, which ranked as the second worst for burned areas since 1995.
The Commission acknowledged that severe weather events — such as floods, wildfires, and hurricanes — are increasing in frequency and disrupting employment.
Workers in affected areas may struggle to qualify for Employment Insurance (EI) due to insufficient work hours before a layoff, especially seasonal employees who depend on consistent work periods.
To address these challenges, the government will waive minimum work hour requirements for EI benefits in three hard-hit communities: Jasper and Brule in Alberta, and Oxford House in Manitoba. These were the only communities in 2024 to face mandatory evacuations lasting over three weeks due to wildfires.
“They were identified as communities in which a temporary Employment Insurance disaster pilot project should be first tested,” the Commission stated. It noted that while the circumstances in each location differ, the need for assistance remains high.
Beginning February 16, affected workers in these areas will receive a 300-hour credit toward insurable employment, allowing them to qualify for EI benefits more quickly. Under current rules, claimants must have between 420 and 700 hours of work in the past year to be eligible.
“The longer the evacuation, the greater the impact on workers,” the Commission noted. Without this exemption, ineligible workers would face a complete loss of income, while others could see their EI benefits reduced due to lost work hours.
Seasonal workers, in particular, may be unable to qualify for EI at the end of their employment cycle because of time missed during evacuations.
The pilot project will assess whether these one-time additional hours can effectively reduce the financial hardship caused by climate-related evacuations.
The Commission noted that workers in the selected communities were disproportionately affected, with over 70% earning $40,000 or less per year, and a quarter making below $20,000 annually.
By testing this approach in Alberta and Manitoba, the government hopes to determine if similar support should be extended to other regions facing climate-related job disruptions in the future.