On June 22, 2016, the Waterloo Regional Council passed a resolution endorsing basic income.

More specifically, the resolution encourages the governments of Ontario and Canada “to research, develop, implement and evaluate a Basic Income Guarantee for all citizens,” and expresses the municipality’s support in these initiatives.

The Waterloo Regional Council also declared that it would forward the resolution to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and Ontario Municipal Social Services Association, to encourage them to consult the municipality in the “development and evaluation of the pilot project to be implemented in Ontario.” The council hopes that Waterloo will be considered as a test site for the pilot.

As the resolution describes, the Waterloo Region has been plagued by food insecurity due to low income. A basic income guarantee “would reduce income insufficiency, insecurity, and inequality and ensure everyone an income sufficient to meet basic needs and live in dignity regardless of work status.”

The successful motion originated with the Kingston City Council, which, on December 15, 2015, became Canada’s first municipality to endorse basic income. At this time, the Kingston City Council forwarded their motion to support basic income to all other municipalities in the province of Ontario.

As of the time of this writing, Waterloo is the largest municipality in Ontario to support a basic income guarantee, according to a report by Roderick Benns for Leaders and Legacies (also posted to the Basic Income Canada Network blog).

References:

Keely Phillips, “Region of Waterloo Endorses Basic Income,” Basic Income Waterloo Region, June 23, 2016.

Roderick Benns, “Waterloo Region becomes largest municipality in Ontario to support basic income resolution,” Leaders and Legacies, June 30, 2016.

Background:

Joe Timothy, “Kingston is first municipality to endorse basic income,” Basic Income News, December 24, 2015.

Joe Timothy, “Ontario is Ready to Test a Basic Income,” Basic Income News, April 1, 2016.

André Coelho, “Ontario reaches further into basic income implementation,” Basic Income News, June 26, 2016.

Photo: Uptown Waterloo CC Andre Recnik

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