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Thousands more Albertans were collecting jobless benefits in April as claims jumped for a fourth consecutive month.

Statistics Canada said the number of people receiving regular employment insurance benefits grew by 10.7 per cent, or 4,240 people, from March. The number of Alberta recipients has soared by 14,600 or about 50 per cent since October.

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“The rise in EI claims is disappointing, but not unexpected,” said Todd Hirsch, chief economist with ATB Financial. “We know Alberta’s labour market is in weaker shape than it was a year ago and that there have been layoffs — particularly in the petroleum sector.”

The largest month-over-month increase was in the processing, manufacturing and utilities sector (23.6 per cent). New claimants in the natural and applied sciences sector increased by 15.1 per cent.

“The trend in EI claims that is emerging is very similar to that of 2008-09 where claims shot up steadily for about eight months in a row,” said Hirsch. “I think we can still expect the level of EI claims to rise more over the summer, but I don’t think we will reach the peaks witnessed in 2009.”

The number of Calgary-area beneficiaries rose to 13,530 — a 9.3 per cent one-month hike and an increase of 31.5 per cent from April 2014.