EI reforms get 40% Atlantic Canadian support: poll

A strong minority of Atlantic Canadians support recent changes made to employment insurance, a recent poll by Corporate Research Associates has found.

The poll found40 per centof Atlantic Canadians either completely or mostly supported the change, while55 per centwere completely or mostly opposed. Four per cent did not offer an opinion.

The changes require that EI recipients broaden their work search, both in the type of employment and in how far they are willing to commute to work. In many areas of the country the number of weeks recipients can receive benefits has also been cut.

Opposition tends to increase with age, the poll finds. Geographically, people appear to be least opposed in Nova Scotia and most opposed on Prince Edward Island.

CRA interviewed 1,501 people between Feb. 7 and March 13. The poll is considered accurate within 2.5 percentage points 19 times out of 20.