Ottawa – Effective today, self-employed Canadians can now apply to receive Employment Insurance (EI) special benefits, which are maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits, on a voluntary basis. 

There are approximately 2.6 million self-employed Canadians who have long asked for this support.  These hard working Canadians include small business owners, farmers, construction workers, professionals, and those who own a home business, among many others. 

Our Conservative Government knows that families are the foundation of our great country.  We believe that self-employed Canadians should not have to choose between their family and their business responsibilities. 

Self-employed Canadians will be able to voluntarily opt into the EI program effective today, and as a transitional measure those who register on or before April 1, 2010, will be able to collect benefits as early as January 2, 2011.

Our Conservative Government is helping Canadians who have previously had little or no income protection to cope with major life events such as giving birth, caring for a newborn or newly adopted child, being sick or injured, or caring for a gravely ill family member. 

Extending access to special benefits is the fair and right thing to do.  It is yet another way our government is supporting families and represents one of the most significant enhancements to the EI program in the last decade.