| Province Launching Consultations on Innovative Way to Deliver Supports
Ontario is seeking public input to help inform the design of a basic income pilot, which is an innovative new approach to providing income security.
The pilot would test whether a basic income is a more effective way of lifting people out of poverty and improving health, housing and employment outcomes. Through the consultations, Ontario is seeking input from across the province, including from people with lived experience, municipalities, experts and academics. The province will also work with Indigenous partners to tailor a culturally appropriate engagement process that reflects the advice and unique perspective of First Nations, urban Indigenous, Métis and Inuit communities.
The province is consulting on key questions, including: who should be eligible, where the pilot should take place, what the basic income level should be and how best to evaluate it. The consultations will be guided, in part, by a discussion paper by the Hon. Hugh Segal, Finding a Better Way: A Basic Income Pilot Project for Ontario, and will run from November 2016 to January 2017. People can participate by:
Exploring innovative ways to deliver supports and services is part of our government’s plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives. |
QUICK FACTS
- Finland, the Netherlands and Kenya are also looking at developing pilot projects that test the idea of a basic or guaranteed annual income.
- Y-Combinator, a California technology company has announced it will be piloting a Basic Income project that is expected to run for five years.
- The government will prepare a final report on what we heard during the consultations, and introduce a plan for the pilot by April, 2017.
- Organizations interested in hosting their own basic income pilot consultations can go to ontario.ca/basicincome for the consultation guide.
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QUOTES
“We are always looking for innovative, evidence-based solutions that can help us end poverty and improve public services to make them simpler, more efficient and more effective for the people who need them the most. This pilot is an opportunity to test that approach, and we look forward to hearing as many views as possible, including from people with lived experience, community partners and experts, to ensure we get it right.”
— Dr. Helena Jaczek, Minister of Community and Social Services
“We know that many Ontarians are still living in poverty and that we must continue to look for ways to address this challenge. A basic income pilot is an innovative, evidence-generating tool that will help us identify what’s working, measure our progress and expand our toolbox as we explore better ways to build a foundation for Ontarians to reach their full potential.”
— Hon. Chris Ballard, Minister of Housing and the Minister Responsible for the Poverty Reduction Strategy
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