Basic Income Guarantee
(BIG)
EKIOC
December 2, 2015
BIG Concept
• Provides a basic minimum income: a cash
transfer from government to citizens not tied
to labour market participation
• Would establish an income floor for every
resident of Canada, regardless of work status
• No household income would fall below a level
that is considered adequate for basic needs
Why?
• Income: the key Social Determinant of Health
– The social determinants of health account for 50%
of what makes us sick
Health Gaps in LGL
Current Programs and Initiatives
• Healthy Babies Healthy Children Program
• Sexual Health Clinic Services
• Ability to waive fees for some services, including
prenatal classes
• Smartworks
• Low cost rabies clinics
• Dental Programs: CINOT and HSO
• NRT priority population pilot
• Community partnerships like the LG Poverty
Reduction Alliance
Why BIG?
• Income is the root cause of hunger, and
influences many poor health outcomes
• Current minimum wage rates and social
assistance programs are insufficient
• Transparent and universal, less stigmatizing
• Would protect our most vulnerable against
volatility in income, including unexpected job
loss
What about the cost?
• BIG has a significant cost, however, the
indirect costs of poverty are very high
– 20% of over $200 billion annual healthcare costs
can be attributed to socio-economic disparities in
Canada
– Indirect costs of poverty were estimated to be
5.5-6.6% of the 2007 Ontario GDP
• Redirecting this money could help break the
cycle of poverty
Success Stories
• Old Age Security Pension (OAS)
– Federal supplement for low income seniors
– Guaranteed income for people 65 and older
– As a result, only 5.9% of older Canadians live
below the poverty line (one of the lowest rates of
elder poverty in the world)
• “MINCOME” Project in Dauphin, Manitoba
(1970’s)
– Retrospective evaluation published in 2011
Some Supporting Organizations
• National
– CMA
– CPHA
– CASW
• Provincial
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aLPHa
OPHA
OSNPPH
CAMH
RNAO (in progress)
– Other Health Units
• SMDHU
• Timiskaming
Action from the Board
• Endorse Basic Income Guarantee
• The Board of Health approved a motion to
write a letter to:
– Federal Ministers responsible for Families, Children and Social
Development; Employment, Workforce and Labour and Health
– Ontario Ministers Responsible for the Poverty Reduction
Strategy, Labour, Children and Youth Services, and Health and
Long-Term Care
– Copy: The Premier of Ontario, the Chief Medical Officer of Health for
Ontario, the Canadian Public Health Association, the Ontario Public
Health Association, and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Action from the Board
• In the letter:
– Urge the prioritization of joint federal-provincial
consideration and investigation into a basic
income guarantee as a policy option for reducing
poverty and income insecurity and for providing
opportunities for those in low income
Questions
Thank you!