The time for a guaranteed livable basic income is now
Poverty is increasing in Canada, and income inequality has reached the highest levels in recorded history. These problems are having a major collective impact and as such, require a collective solution. This is an issue that intersects across all areas of Canadian Friends Service Committee’s work, leading us to speak out—in solidarity with many networks, coalitions, and ecumenical partners across Canada—to ask for a Guaranteed Livable Basic Income (GLBI). This special edition of our newsletter Quaker Concern will focus on GLBI from different angles. If you’re inspired, page 7 lists important actions you can take.
As you will see, GLBI offers an innovative and efficient solution to a systemic and pervasive problem that is growing. As a non-partisan issue, GLBI can get buy-in from people of all political stripes, if it’s well understood. It’s a system that benefits more people, is efficient, cost effective, and ultimately reduces poverty. Who could be against all that?!
What is a basic income?
There’s an important difference between universal and guaranteed basic income. A Universal Basic Income (UBI) offers uniform cash payments to all people regardless of income. Guaranteed Livable Basic Income (GLBI), on the other hand, is a universally accessible payment that is income tested. It provides a top up for those earning below the minimum requirement for a sustainable and secure livelihood. CFSC is advocating a GLBI, not a UBI.
While there are costs associated with such a program, data shows that Canada can afford it without causing harm to the economy or increasing inflationary pressures. The truth is that poverty has its own costs from poor health to lost productivity. The price tag of poverty in Canada is between $72-$84 billion a year! Economists say that provinces alone spend over $20 billion per year on piecemeal income assistance programs. Responding efficiently and appropriately to poverty with a GLBI is forward thinking policy that could save money!
Data from many promising pilots and programs both nationally and internationally shows that people don’t stop working when they receive a GLBI (with the exception of mothers who tend to spend more time looking after young children rather than rushing back to work, and young people who may return to and/or finish school). One can say that a GLBI is good for workers and an opportunity for innovation.
How to take action
1. Learn more: Join one of our monthly online discussion groups to chat about GLBI. See the Winter 2025 edition (PDF) of our newsletter Quaker Concern, which is all about GLBI. Explore the Basic Income Canada Network, Coalition Canada, and The PEI Basic Income Report websites for a wealth of data and resources on a GLBI in Canada.
Prior to the prorogation of Parliament there was Bill S-233 An Act to develop a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income, which died on the order paper along with all bills both in the House of Commons and the Senate. However, the text of the bill is useful to gain further insight into possible future GLBI legislation. Bill S-233 mirrors legislation that had been introduced in the House of Commons, Bill C-223 which was defeated at second reading in September 2024. These legislative efforts demonstrate a strong push forward for GLBI. We hope that we can support new efforts in Parliament to have bills related to GLBI once more introduced in the House and in the Senate when a new government is formed.
2. Contact: Now is a good time to contact your Member of Parliament and all candidates, asking where they stand on a GLBI. Share with them your views on why a GLBI is important for you and the community. You can also see some suggestions on what to write about (PDF).
3. Contact: Your municipal councillor. You can ask them to support or develop a municipal resolution for Guaranteed Livable Basic Income. For some ideas on how to meet with elected officials see our short handout (PDF). As a tangible example, recently Kingston City Council in Ontario declared a food insecurity emergency. This follows a resolution made by the City of Kingston in 2015 calling for a national discussion on GLBI and coordination between the various levels of government to “consider, investigate, and develop a Basic Income Guarantee for all Canadians.”
4. Contact: the Prime Minister. You can write to: pm@pm.gc.ca. Please write your own letter or express in your own words the need to be bold, innovative, and equity seeking in establishing a GLBI program in Canada that will provide people with dignity and a healthy life. Please cc us at Sandra@QuakerService.ca on correspondence sent to elected officials so that we can track progress and follow up.
5. Engage: With your community. Share our webpage and resources and talk with people about GLBI. Get the word out there! Contact us if you need more information.
Sandra Wiens is CFSC’s Government Relations Representative.
