The Senate Standing Committee on National Finance met to consider Bill S-233, “An Act to develop a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income”.

Jeff Karabanow Discusses the Housing Crisis

Homelessness is primarily a housing and an income problem. A coordinated effort from the Provincial and Federal governments is needed to provide non-market supportive housing and a basic income guarantee.

Michael Gordan, CBC: Municipalities call on Province and Ottawa to consider a basic income guarantee

Mayor Mike Savage stated: “I just believe that, as a society, we've spent decades if not centuries managing poverty instead of trying to get rid of poverty.“

By allowing poverty to continue to exist, we choose to take on those costs. We could instead choose wellbeing and the elimination of poverty with a basic income.“

Dalhousie University Professors discuss a possible route to a Guaranteed Basic Income

A guaranteed basic income would represent a significant philosophical shift, moving away from requiring people to prove that they “deserve” income to treating all Canadians as worthy of having their basic needs met. Is the grocery rebate a step in that direction? Read the article.

PEI Basic Income Advocates meet with Jagmeet Singh

The Green Resilience Project releases its final report

The Green Resilience Project held community discussions across Canada on income security, transitioning to a greener economy, and building resilience. From these discussions, four overarching recommendations emerged:

1. Incorporate basic income into Canada’s plan for a just transition.

2. Design income security and climate policy solutions to focus on improving individual and collective quality of life.

3. Empower people and communities with the tools and resources they need to build or strengthen resilience.

4. Ensure that corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share.

PEI Party Leaders call for a province-wide BIG

Leaders of all 3 parties signed a letter this April urging the federal government to engage with the province to provide the funding necessary to create a basic income program in PEI.

Canada Coalition Basic Income, 2022 pre-budget submission

Recommendations

1.    Introduce a livable national Basic Income Guarantee using local costs of living, indexed annually and delivered monthly, to residents of Canada aged 18 to 64.

2.    Recognize that indigenous people must be key players with the Federal Government in designing a Basic Income Guarantee in ways suited to the needs of their communities both on reserve and off.

3.    Design a national Basic Income Guarantee program conditional only on income and residency in Canada that delivers the greatest support to working-aged adults with lowest incomes.

4.    Engage with each province and territory to harmonize the income transfers they receive as the federal government assumes responsibility for income transfers to working-age adults, starting with Prince Edward Island.

Read More —>

Halifax Marches for Basic Income

Basic Income Advocates Take to the Streets on International Basic Income Day

A CBC news reporter stops by BIG-NS’ public rally September 25th to have a conversation with the group chair, Mandy Kay-Raining Bird. Emphasizing the impact basic income can have on the well-being of its recipients, the interview urges action at the Federal and Provincial level.

CBC provides a quick breakdown of the history of Basic Income in Canada in recent years, discussing everything from funding solutions to institutional reports. Read about all that and more, right here.

“Because the cost of living varies across Canada, there's no single income level that defines poverty. But generally, advocates have talked about setting guaranteed basic income at around $20,000 a year for a single person between ages of 18 and 64.”

Haley Ryan for CBC news

Royal Society of Canada Report on COVID-19 Recovery

Background on the Policy Briefing Report Process

Established by the President of the Royal Society of Canada in April 2020, the RSC Task Force on COVID-19 was mandated to provide evidence-informed perspectives on major societal challenges in response to and recovery from COVID-19.

The Task Force established a series of Working Groups to rapidly develop Policy Briefings, with the objective of supporting policy makers with evidence to inform their decisions.

https://rsc-src.ca/sites/default/files/Econ%20PB_EN_3.pdf

Recommendation #1 under Renewing Social Contract

1. Establish a basic income guarantee (BIG) that is universally available to provide adequate income support to all persons and be responsive to economic shocks.