A long-time proponent of a guaranteed income is pleased the matter is getting broader attention.
NDP MHA Jordan Brown recently brought forward a Private Member’s Resolution on the topic which received unanimous support from his colleagues in the House of Assembly.
Dan Meades is a member of the Canadian Basic Income Network and is Provincial Coordinator of the Transition House Association of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The concept of a guaranteed income involves the government providing a basic income of $2,000 a month, to each and every citizen—similar to CERB which was provided to some Canadians during the pandemic.
Meades says guaranteed income is different from income support. He says most social safety net programs are set below the poverty line, whereas a guaranteed income helps people to meet basic needs.
There was a recent Guaranteed Income pilot in Ontario but it was ended before the best results were achieved according to Meades.
The real pilot he says was in Dauphin, Manitoba by Dr. Evelyn Forget. They found that paying people enough to lift them out of poverty resulted in better outcomes in things like education, justice and health and employment. It saved money in the end, says Meades because fewer programs were being administered and people were contributing to the economy in a more meaningful way.