Some people in the northern Cape Breton community of Bay St. Lawrence are celebrating the return of their employment insurance cheques.

Clayton MacKinnon, the local fire chief, said about two dozen people have been notified that their EI claims have been reinstated for this year, which means they should receive money for the last two months.

Those claims were denied earlier this fall, as the federal government began an investigation into whether about 70 fishermen and their helpers had received benefits they weren't entitled to since 2008.

MacKinnon said some families have not had any income since they filed for EI in August.

"It's like Christmas has come earlier than expected and at least now they know that they can enjoy their Christmas and not worry about the fact of how they're gonna keep feeding themselves or pay for whatever they've got to pay for," he told CBC News.

The continuing investigation is focusing on whether the fishermen wrongly received benefits over several years because they worked for relatives.

The federal government says that violates the rules about maintaining an "arms length" relationship between employers and employees.

MacKinnon said he's been told the investigation could take up to a year.