When the Ontario government killed the basic income pilot project, it did more than inflict a killing blow to the dreams and aspirations of the 4,500 Ontarians — including 1,000 in Hamilton — enrolled in the research project. (The total number of participants is 6,500 but 2,000 were in the control group not receiving benefits.)

Killing the innovative study also robbed governments and policy-makers of an opportunity to see if basic income could work in today's context.

There is a reason the idea of a guaranteed income is being tested around the world. And it's not entirely, or even mostly, about it being a better approach to social assistance than the current balkanized system.

Historic models of working, job and income security, are changing. The greatest form of employment growth is in precarious jobs. Automation is claiming jobs in the millions. In Hamilton alone, thousands are working one or more part-time minimum wage jobs, and still stuck below the poverty line.

Basic income takes a different approach than traditional social assistance. Instead of multiple programs providing income — like Ontario Works and various income-based support payments — it pays people a flat annual benefit. In the case of the Ontario pilot that was $17,000 annually and $24,000 for couples. Participants could work while on the program to supplement that income, but would see it reduced depending on extra earned income.

One stereotype about the project is that participants were being paid to stay home. In fact, research by an independent evaluation team led by Toronto's St. Michael's Hospital shows that more than half were working, running businesses or looking for work. More than 13 per cent were working two or more jobs but still unable to escape poverty. Of the 47 per cent not in the labour force, two thirds could not work due to illness or disability, 14 per cent had family commitments and seven per cent were students.

Once accepted into the pilot, many participants made changes and investments based on relative income security for the duration of the three-year project. They enrolled in school. Got more safe and secure housing. Spent more on health care and better food.

During the election campaign, they fretted that Ford's Progressive Conservatives would kill the project if elected. But the Ford campaign said they would not, and in fact said they were looking forward to the results of the research project.

Once elected, Ford quickly broke that promise, claiming it was too expensive. The government said the cost of providing basic income to all low-income Ontarians would be $17 billion compared to $10 billion the government currently spends. But in terms of the pilot project that's a non-sequitor. Cost of the pilot project was $150 million, which the government could easily have afforded spread over three years.

Instead, it made an ideological decision to end the pilot 18 months after it started. A great research opportunity was wasted. But all is not necessarily lost.

The federal government has indicated it might be interested in basic income. It has been petitioned by mayors of all the affected communities — Hamilton, Brantford, Thunder Bay and Lindsay — to take ownership rather than lose the learning opportunity.

Ottawa is sending mixed signals. On one hand it claims reluctance to consider any form of guaranteed income — an interesting position since it already provides just that through CPP and OAS, not to mention child benefits.

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Whether basic income is a viable option is an open question thanks to the Ford government's short-sighted, inhumane behaviour. But that can change if the federal government has the wisdom and will to see this research project through to its conclusion.

- 'Humans are suffering': Axing of basic income pilot project leaves trail of broken dreams