According to Statistics Canada the number of people in BC receiving EI are down compared to last year, with Prince Rupert and Fort St. John leading the way in year-to-year declines.
The numbers released on July 21 show that there were 360 people claiming EI in Prince Rupert in May, down 180 from the 540 people receiving EI in May 2010. That equates to a 33.3 per cent reduction, which is tied with the drop in Fort St. John for the largest decline in BC.
Around the northwest, the numbers also dropped. In Terrace there were 140 fewer people receiving EI, down 23.7 per cent to 450 from the 590 last year, and in Kitimat there were 30 fewer people receiving EI, down 15 per cent from 200 to 170. Prince George also saw a drop in the number of recipients, falling 28.1 per cent from 2,850 to 2,050.