TORONTO -- An employment insurance program for people who leave work to tend to a sick or dying loved one could end up costing $1.5 billion over the next several years, says Canada's human resources minister. But Joe Volpe, who officially unveiled Ottawa's new compassionate care benefit yesterday, said he's confident the program will prove to be a sound investment.

"Given the numbers that we have, we could see that it would be that kind of an expense, but it's an expense that's well worth its while," Volpe told a news conference.

Canadian industry estimates that employees with sick or dying family members or spouses cost the economy about $2.4 billion in lost productivity each year, he said.

"I think this is a very productive way to address an issue."

The compassionate care program, which came into effect Sunday, had its genesis under former prime minister Jean Chretien and was originally announced in last year's federal budget.

It allows anyone eligible for employment insurance benefits with a dying or gravely ill spouse, parent or child to collect income support while caring or arranging care for their loved one.

Over a span of six months, participants would be eligible to collect six weeks' worth of benefits, plus the standard two-week EI waiting period for a total of eight weeks.

"For those people who have had to care for a loved one for much longer than six weeks, this wouldn't be anywhere near enough, but this is a huge, huge start," Volpe said.

"This is an initiative on the part of the government of Canada, but it doesn't mean it's the ceiling. It's the new floor for this kind of activity."

Most provinces have agreed to amend their employment standards laws to conform to the new program. But Quebec isn't anxious to go along.

The program intrudes on provincial jurisdiction and should allow provinces to opt out and set up an alternative program, said Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Benoit Pelletier.

"There should be some kind of opting-out formula that should apply to allow the provinces that want to opt out from that program to do so and to have their own program answering to their specific needs," Pelletier said.

Quebec could take Ottawa to court over the matter, he added.

But those who work with the terminally ill cheered the program as an ideal starting point for employers and unions anxious to establish more comprehensive compassionate-care plans.

"It's been a long time coming," said Janet Napper, executive director of the Hospice Association of Ontario.

"This is one of those cases where it's humane, it's financially effective and efficient."

Participants in the program will need to obtain a medical certificate from a doctor indicating the patient has a serious medical condition with a "significant risk of death."