On September 25th 2024, Parliament voted on the Bill C-223, which aimed to create a national framework for a Guaranteed Livable Basic Income in Canada. Unfortunately, the bill did not pass this second reading. The vote tally was 54 in favour (the Greens and NDP joined by several Liberals), and 273 opposed. Senate Bill S-233—the counterpart to Bill C-223—did pass second reading last year, and we are waiting to see if we’ll get a committee report from the Senate. However, because its counterpart has failed in the House, the Bill will not become law.
Now our work must continue on other fronts.
But First…A Heartfelt Thank You
We want to extend our deepest gratitude to Senator Kim Pate and MP Leah Gazan for their hard work and unwavering commitment to fighting for everyday Canadians.
We also want to thank all of you who supported our campaign and took action. Together, we sent over 34,000 emails urging MPs and Senators to recognize the urgency of basic income. Despite the outcome, your voices made a difference and continue to inspire all those working for this change.
What’s Next?
The fight for Basic Income isn’t over by a long shot. While C-223 and S-233 would have helped focus the conversation around basic income and forced the government to think it through, they lacked the power to actually actually create one. Let’s consider then what these bills would have done: require the Minister of Finance to write a report outlining a framework for the implementation of a national basic income. While the government won’t be required to write this, we the public certainly can.
And indeed we are! Right now, this work is happening all around the country, with or without legislative directives. Just look at PEI: civil servants, researchers, economists, and activists came together to create a report laying out a basic income for the province, which could cost 1% of GDP to reduce poverty by 80%.
Across the country, momentum is building:
- Local Government Support: City councils across Canada are voicing their support for basic income, including a recent resolution passed at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention. TV personality George Stroumboulopoulos even endorsed UBI during the event!
- Atlantic Leadership: Provinces like PEI are leading the charge with reports advocating for basic income, and Newfoundland and Labrador have announced new basic incomes for seniors and people with disabilities.
- Broad Political Interest: Across party lines, there’s significant interest in expanding the social safety net to ensure economic security for more people. The upcoming Canadian Disability Benefit — modeled after one of the most successful basic incomes in history, the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors — could be a framework for establishing new guaranteed incomes across the country.
Meanwhile our work of building a basic income scheme that won’t cost the vast majority of Canadians continues. While today’s vote was a setback, it is just one front of our advocacy. With your continued support, we’ll keep advancing towards a future where guaranteed dignity is a reality for all.
Stay tuned for our next steps, and thank you for standing with us.
Floyd & the UBI Works Team