Universal Basic Income
In the 70s a 4 year Universal Basic Income experiment in Daphine Manitoba with 2,128 participants resulted in a reduction in hospitalizations, an increase in high school graduations and the formation of many new small businesses. The World Bank says that a Universal Basic Income would eliminate contentious inclusion and exclusion errors, eliminate stigma and reduce the cost of distributing benefits. The NDP would continue Ontario’s UBI program, to gather data about this approach to tackling income precarity. We know that a Universal Basic Income by itself will not reduce precarious employment. Given the opportunity, people want to work and so the NDP would change the rules to allow workers who quit for retraining to qualify for EI benefits. Along with pharmacare, a stronger Canada Pension plan and a review of income security programs for the disabled the NDP can reduce poverty and inequity.