Virus or not, we cannot allow Canadians to keep falling through the gaps in our social safety net. A basic income is the only way to ensure that each and every one of us gets the support we need. Add your name to make sure Canada gets on track to adopt Guaranteed Livable Income.

What is Guaranteed Livable Income?

The Green Party has long argued that Canada can eliminate poverty by adopting a Guaranteed Livable Income (GLI), a kind of basic income. The GLI replaces separate federal and provincial programs with a single, universal, unconditional cash payment delivered through the tax system.

The GLI means every Canadian receives a regular minimum payment, establishing an income “floor” but with incentives for recipients to continue working and earn more. Payments would be based on a calculated “livable” level for different regions of the country.

Unlike existing support programs, additional income will not be clawed back. People earning above a certain total income will pay the GLI back in taxes. The GLI will replace the current complex array of income supports – social assistance, income supplements for seniors, disability payments, etc. – with a single payment. Replacing those programs with a single regular payment to every Canadian eliminates the vast bureaucracy and associated costs needed to administer them. These savings will help to pay for the GLI program.