What is Basic Income?
Basic income is an approach to economic security supported across the political spectrum. It provides a guaranteed level of income to cover basic needs, protecting a shrinking middle-class. It’s an alternative to our outdated and unsuccessful welfare system. If it sounds like a new idea, it’s really not. This is something we already do in Canada through Guaranteed Income Supplement for low income seniors and the Canada Child Benefit. It’s been a massive success for decades in supporting seniors and families with children with incredible benefits to the economy and communities.
Our Involvement
The Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction has been a strong advocate for Basic Income for over a decade, blending grassroots engagement with policy advocacy. It played a key role in supporting Ontario’s 2017–2019 Basic Income Pilot, helping to mobilize local support, host town halls, and connect participants with resources. With the early cancellation of the pilot we launched the “Living Proof” speakers’ bureau, empowering pilot participants to share their success stories, and also collaborated with researchers to evaluate the pilot’s impact, highlighting how Basic Income improved housing stability, health, and financial security. We’ve continued to be active. The Roundtable co-organized the North American Basic Income Congress held at McMaster University in 2018 and played a key role in organizing the 2024 Basic Income Guarantee Forum held in Ottawa.
And it doesn’t end there. We are proud to have successfully advocated for Hamilton City Council to endorse a guaranteed livable income. Partnerships with McMaster University, Toronto Metropolitan University and Carleton University have documented the benefits experienced by participants. We continue to push the issue forward, hosting public forums, webinars, and high-profile discussions with policymakers to keep Basic Income on the national agenda. In partnership with PowerLine Films a 2023 documentary entitled “A Human Picture” was released. The documentary examines the experiences of several Ontario Basic Income Pilot participants.
The Roundtable remains committed to advancing basic income as a transformational policy to address poverty and economic insecurity in Canada.
Follow-Up
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