I’m guessing that EI is what you call unemployment benefits where you are? In which case, unfortunately no. Previous employer made up bullshit to fire me over so I wasn’t eligible, and I was told I didn’t work long enough at the place that burned down to qualify. My savings got almost entirely wiped out just paying rent and buying groceries.

It was a dark time full of struggles, but I got through it and I’m doing pretty well now. The silver lining is that, when I’m having a rough week, I can think back to how that chunk of life was going and know that I’ve gotten through worse. I was homeless for about two months a bit later, but by then I found a job and knew that I’d find stability soon. Things didn’t actually start getting good until I quit the kitchen career. And I’m one of the lucky few who never even got sucked into the hard drug aspect of that life. Never even smoked a cigarette lol.