Basic Income: Ontario’s Pilot Project

Ontario is embarking on a pilot project to test the effectiveness of the Basic Income Guarantee, a form of social assistance in which recipients receive an unconditional sum of money.

The persistence of poverty, rising wealth inequality, and a changing job market are some of the drivers behind the renewed interest in basic income schemes. Even Silicon Valley has started to advocate for basic income as they see their technologies replacing a lot of paid human work in the near future, faster than we can create …

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The Complications of Basic Income

The Complications of Basic Income

WSIC participants turned up in force to the Wind-Up Bird on March 16th, keen to listen and participate on the powerful discussion of basic income rights in Canada.  Our expert panel consisted of Sheila Regehr, of Basic Income Canada, a non-profit dedicated to ensuring everyone has sufficient income to meet basic needs and live with dignity, and Jonathan Sas, Director of Research at the Broadbent Institute.

Sheila acknowledged that on one level, the concept of basic income is easy to grasp, and yet on another level …

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Should we invest in Basic Income?

The past few years have been dominated by economic woes. The Great Depression lead to world wide pain, and in certain countries temporary chaos and low income people were some of the hardest hit. Governments have tried any and all measures to reestablish conditions necessary for jobs, and most appear to be failing.

 

Here in Canada, due to the recently high price of oil, we have been relatively insulated, yet young people still experience high rates of unemployment. Now with oil prices significantly lower, the government …

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