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Ottawa, November 9, 2005 Government Welcomes Employment Insurance Premium Reduction for 2006Related Document: Minister of Finance Ralph Goodale and Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Belinda Stronach are pleased with the Employment Insurance (EI) Commission’s setting of the EI premium rate at $1.87 for 2006, a reduction from its current level of $1.95 per $100 of insurable earnings. This is the first time the rate has been set by the EI Commission according to the new rate-setting process introduced in Budget 2005. The rate paid by employers will also be reduced to $2.62 from $2.73 per $100 of insurable earnings. The maximum insurable earnings will remain at $39,000 for 2006. According the EI Chief Actuary, this is the rate that should generate just enough premium revenue in 2006 to cover the payments that will be made during the year, in accordance with the Employment Insurance Act. "Setting the rate at $1.87 will save Canadian workers and employers more than $800 million in premiums as compared to last year’s rate," stated Minister Goodale. In noting the rate reduction, Minister Stronach said, "We are committed to lowering the cost of doing business in Canada, so I am pleased to see the new lower rates. Thanks to EI premium reductions by this government, individual employees will pay up to $516 less in 2006 than they did in 1994 and individual employers will pay up to $722 less per employee." Both Ministers noted that the rate set by the Commission will become effective January 1, 2006. The EI premium rates for Quebec will be $1.53 for employees and $2.14 for employers. These rates are lower than in the rest of Canada because, starting in January 2006, Quebec will offer its own parental benefits. Under the new rate-setting process, the EI Commission must set the EI premium rate for the coming year no later than November 14. For its part, the Government of Canada under the same legislation, has the authority to substitute a different rate no later than November 30 if it is in the public interest to do so. This marks the 12th consecutive annual reduction in the EI premium rate. As a result, employers and employees will pay $12 billion less in premiums in 2006 than they would have paid under the 1994 rate of $3.07. The attached backgrounder provides further details about changes to premium rates and maximum insurable earnings since 1994. ___________________________________
If you would like to receive automatic e-mail notification of all news releases, please visit the Department of Finance Canada website at www.fin.gc.ca/scripts/register_e.asp BackgrounderImpact of Changes to the EI Premium Rate and Maximum Insurable Earnings—1994 to 2006
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