Overview
The Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada (CCAAC) is calling on the federal government for much-needed improvements to Canada’s Employment Insurance parental and maternity benefits to bring them in line with the much better benefits already provided to parents in Quebec.
In a position paper on maternity and parental EI benefit reform, the CCAAC points out that the shortage of child care for children under 18 months is making parents desperate for solutions but that a longer leave period at a lower weekly benefit is not the answer. The CCAAC says the federal government must instead show federal leadership to build a system of early childhood education and care for all, while also making meaningful improvements to the EI maternity and parental leave.
The CCAAC is urging the federal government to consider the following recommendations for reform, in line with what Quebec parents are already entitled to under the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan:
- Reduce the eligibility requirement to the lesser of 300 hours of insurable earnings prior to taking leave, or adopt the same $2,000 minimum earnings rule that exists in Quebec
- Raise the EI benefit level for maternity/parental leave from 55 per cent of previous earnings to a minimum of 70 per cent, similar to Quebec benefits
- Introduce an additional benefit (modelled on Quebec’s paternity leave) for the exclusive use of the “second” parent regardless of gender.