The number of Canadians receiving regular Employment Insurance benefits rose in May for the first time in eight months, Statistics Canada reported Thursday.

The number rose by 8,600 to 680,100.

Most provinces reported increases in people receiving EI benefits in May, with the largest rises in Ontario and Quebec. (Chuck Stoody/Canadian Press)

Most provinces reported increases, with the largest in Ontario and Quebec, and the only decline in Alberta.

Initial and renewal claims totalled 231,900, an increase of 2,100 from the previous month. Not all claims result in benefits being paid.

Claims began falling in May 2009, as the recession began to ease, and are down by 95,800 or 29.2 per cent nationally.

The fastest rates of decline in claims occurred in Ontario, with a 38.3 per cent drop, Alberta with 35.2 per cent and British Columbia with 26.2 per cent.