The number of Canadians receiving Employment Insurance benefits dropped for the first time in 11 months in July, Statistics Canada said Monday.

StatsCan said 787,700 people received regular EI benefits, down by 31,500, or 3.8%, from a month earlier. The largest declines occurred in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta.

There were 274,700 initial and renewal claims received in July, down by 25,500, or 8.5%.

There was a similar decrease in June.

Despite July’s decline, the number of regular beneficiaries was still 287,400, or 57.4%, above the level in October 2008.

IE