Longer EI Benefits for Parents and Caregivers

Summary#

• This bill changes Canada’s Employment Insurance (EI) rules for parents and family caregivers.

• It lifts a cap that can cut parental and pregnancy benefits when combined with other EI benefits. It also gives people more time to use these benefits. Finally, it increases support for those caring for a critically ill adult.

• Key changes:

  • Pregnancy and parental EI benefits would no longer count toward the usual 50‑week “combined weeks” cap.
  • The EI benefit period (the time window to use your weeks) could be extended by up to 26 weeks for people receiving pregnancy or parental benefits, so they can use all the weeks they qualify for.
  • The maximum weeks for caring for a critically ill adult would rise from 15 to 26 weeks.
  • Family members could still share these caregiver weeks, but the shared total for the same adult would be 26 weeks in a 52‑week period.
  • Parallel changes apply to self‑employed people who have opted into EI special benefits.

What it means for you#

• Parents and expecting parents

  • You could get your full pregnancy and parental benefits even if you also received regular EI (for job loss) in the same benefit period.
  • You would have a longer window, up to 26 extra weeks, to collect all your pregnancy and parental weeks. This can help if your leave spans many months or if benefits overlap.
  • Adoptive parents are treated the same as birth parents for parental benefits.

• Family caregivers

  • If you are caring for a critically ill adult (such as a spouse, parent, or adult child), you could receive up to 26 weeks of EI caregiving benefits instead of 15.
  • Two or more family members can share these 26 weeks for the same adult within a 52‑week period.

• Self‑employed people (who opted into EI special benefits)

  • You would have access to the same 26 weeks of caregiver benefits for a critically ill adult, with the same sharing rules.
  • The changes around sharing and maximum weeks would mirror those for employees.

• Workers on EI

  • If you received regular EI and also pregnancy or parental benefits, your benefit period could be extended so you do not lose weeks you qualify for because of timing.

• Employers

  • Staff may be away longer due to extended caregiver benefits and longer benefit periods for pregnancy and parental leave. This may require more planning for coverage or temporary hires.

Expenses#

Estimated fiscal impact: No publicly available information.

• The changes would likely increase EI program costs by:
  • Adding more weeks for adult caregiving benefits.
  • Extending the time window so people can use all pregnancy and parental weeks.
• EI is funded by premiums paid by workers and employers, so higher costs could lead to upward pressure on premiums in future years.
• There may be one‑time administrative costs to update systems and rules.

Proponents' View#

• Parents should not be penalized by the combined‑weeks cap when they have both job‑loss EI and pregnancy or parental benefits in the same period.
• Extending the benefit period helps families actually use the weeks they qualify for, instead of losing them because time runs out.
• Caring for a critically ill adult often takes months; raising support from 15 to 26 weeks is more realistic and aligns better with caregiving for critically ill children.
• More stable income during leave supports child and family well‑being and reduces stress.
• Clearer sharing rules let families split caregiving time in the way that works best for them.

Opponents' View#

• Expanding weeks and extending benefit periods would raise EI costs and could lead to higher premiums for workers and employers.
• Longer leaves can be hard for small and medium‑sized businesses to manage, increasing staffing and training pressures.
• More complex rules and extensions may make EI harder to administer and understand.
• Some view the changes as unfair to people who do not have children or caregiving needs but still pay EI premiums.
• Extending the time window could lead some claimants to stay on benefits longer, increasing overall program use.