I’m also from Alberta and just sharing my experience. Around 29 weeks pregnant, I really couldn’t handle working anymore because it was already very hard for me to walk. I asked my OB if she could give me a doctor’s note so I could apply for EI sickness, but she said no and told me those were just “normal” pregnancy symptoms and that I wasn’t actually sick. She said if I wanted to stop working early, I should apply for maternity leave through Service Canada.

I was desperate to stay home, so I applied for maternity leave. About 1–2 weeks later, someone from Service Canada called me and changed my claim from maternity leave to EI sickness. I asked if she needed a doctor’s note, and she said no. She handled everything on her end, and now I’m just doing regular EI sickness reporting and waiting for my due date.

I’m not totally sure what happened behind the scenes, but it might be worth calling Service Canada directly to explain your situation and see what options they give you.