The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is calling on the Government of Canada to extend Employment Insurance (EI) benefits and increase flexibility for workers displaced by the unprecedented wildfire situation in the province. The call for assistance comes in addition to the immediate and continuing support the Provincial Government has been providing in partnership with the Canadian Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

The request was made by the Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Jobs, Immigration and Growth, to the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families in correspondence on August 14, 2025. In that letter, Minister Byrne acknowledges the vital support already provided by the Federal Government, including Canadian Armed Forces and Coast Guard aircraft and personnel.

The extension of benefits and increased flexibility requested has been made available in the past to workers in other parts of Canada impacted by wildfires.

Evacuations have displaced many individuals and families, and disrupted access to workplaces, resulting in financial hardship and uncertainty. In response, the Provincial Government has partnered with the Canadian Red Cross and Salvation Army to deliver immediate supports and is leveraging all available resources.

To further assist impacted workers, the Provincial Government is requesting:

• EI Flexibilities: Expedited processing of EI claims for individuals experiencing employment interruptions due to wildfires.
• Extension of EI Pilot Project: Extend the pilot project established for Alberta and Manitoba in 2024 in response to wildfires in those provinces, which provided a one-time credit of 300 insurable hours, to Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Reinstatement of Work Permit Transition Measures: Reinstate the 2024 special measure that allowed employer-specific work permit holders to transition to open work permits if their place of employment had closed due to wildfires.

As of August 13, 2025, an estimated 227 nominees and endorsees under provincial immigration programs are located within wildfire evacuation order and alert zones. This figure does not include Temporary Foreign Workers and may increase if further evacuations are required.

These requests are in addition to recently announced EI flexibilities already in place to assist Canadians impacted by tariffs, such as waived waiting periods and changes to the Work-Sharing Program.

Quote
“Together, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians will get through this most difficult of firefighting seasons. To assist in that collective effort, workers who are displaced and impacted financially must get the necessary EI supports and work permit flexibility they require during this challenging time. That is why we are calling on the Federal Government to respond as it has for workers and their families in other parts of Canada.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Jobs, Immigration and Growth

-30-