C-215An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (illness, injury or quarantine)
Private member's bill, introduced in the House of Commons on December 15, 2021
- Status
- Defeated at third reading in the House of Commons
What it does
Raises the maximum EI benefit period for illness, injury or quarantine from 15 weeks to 52 weeks.
What it does
- Replaces the Employment Insurance Act limit so benefits for a prescribed illness, injury or quarantine can be paid for up to 52 weeks.
- Updates a related provision of the Act to match the new 52-week limit.
- Adjusts timing rules with the Budget Implementation Act, 2021, No. 1 if both laws come into force around the same time.
Who it affects
- Employment Insurance claimants
- Workers who are ill or injured
- People who are quarantined
Background
The Employment Insurance Act now allows benefits because of illness, injury or quarantine for up to 15 weeks. This bill would change that limit to 52 weeks.
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Completed.
Report stage
Completed.
Third reading
Defeated here. Defeated
Senate
First reading
Not reached.
Second reading
Not reached.
Committee
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Not reached.
Introduced by an MP who is not a minister. These bills compete in a lottery for debate time, and most do not become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
2nd reading of Bill C-215, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (illness, injury or quarantine)
Vote 153,
Passed
173 yeato151 nay · 6 paired
Party breakdown for vote 153 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Nay 0 151 8 Conservative Yea 114 0 5 Bloc Yea 31 0 1 NDP Yea 25 0 0 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 1 0 0 Total 173 151
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalIrek Kusmierczyk· March 30, 2022
“In that same tradition, the bill we are debating today seeks to change an existing program to address evolving circumstances. However, we need to ensure that any amendments to the EI Act are considered in the full context of the new reality.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeJacques Gourde· March 30, 2022
“The bill proposes to increase from 15 to 52 weeks the period for which Canadians eligible for employment insurance sickness benefits are able to use extra weeks for their recovery or their convalescence with a minimum amount of financial security in case of serious illness, such as cancer and other illnesses that require long recovery periods.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocLouise Chabot· March 30, 2022
“I welcome the bill, but I am sorry to see that we are still at this point. We nearly made it to the finish line in the last session.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPAlexandre Boulerice· March 30, 2022
“I believe that we can perhaps arrive at a consensus, even though it may not be unanimous, on the need to move forward with this bill. Many, if not all, political parties in the House have introduced a similar bill at some point in time.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: Bill not proceeded with. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.