​Ontario plans to move ahead with Basic Income Pilot Project

​#BasicIncomePilotProject, #Ontario, #Canada, #FirstNations, #UrbanIndigenous, #Métis & Inuit communities
                                                                             
A report summarizing the feedback from thousands of people across Ontario on how to design and deliver a basic income pilot had been released recently, media release reported.

The province had been looking to create a pilot program to test how a basic income might benefit people living in a variety of low income situations, including those who are currently working and plans to introduce Ontario's Basic Income Pilot Plan in spring 2017 based on the input received through the consultation process.

More than 35,000 people and organizations participated in this Pilot Program and shared their ideas on topics including eligibility of a person for a basic income, how to deliver the basic income, debating which communities to include, and how to evaluate this Pilot Project.

Chris Ballard, Minister Responsible for Poverty Reduction tweeted, “I'm energized to build on the feedback of 35,000 Ontarians as we work to introduce a #BasicIncome Pilot in Ontario.”

Basic income ensures a minimum income for eligible families or individuals to enable them to meet their basic needs keeping in mind their long-term social and economic prosperity and security.

According to recommendations Ontario residents between the ages of 18 and 64 living in socially and economically diverse communities, in urban, rural and northern locations were included in the basic income pilot project.

Other feed backs were helping people with incomes to meet their needs and uplifting them from poverty, provide them with long-term improvements in health, employment and housing.

Such consultations served as compliments to the advice Honourable Hugh Segal in his discussion paper imparted to the government.

A post “Working on Empty”  on Hugh Segal’s face book account reads,
“A pilot project must begin with an understanding of the costs of poverty, not only in present welfare and disability payments, but also in terms of added pressures on our health system, and the Ontario economy as a whole, through its impacts on economic productivity and existing government revenues.”

First Nations, urban Indigenous, Métis and Inuit communities remained a priority for the province ensuring appropriate solutions to be provided for their concerns.

The government was exploring new ways to help people living in poverty to reach their full potential by creating jobs, growing the economy and helping people in their everyday lives.

Dr. Helena Jaczek, Minister of Community and Social Services said, “evidence-based approach to the design and implementation of the basic income pilot…will help us to deliver an effective basic income pilot … prosperity and security for everyone in Ontario." 

Jaczek tweeted, “Thank you for sharing your ideas on #ONbasicincome , Ontario! Read the report on what we heard, here: https://news.ontario.ca/mcss/en/2017/03/ontario-releases-basic-income-consultation-feedback.html…”

Ballard’s following tweets also throw more light:

“Implementing our BI pilot very soon. Current research offers tantalizing potential benefits, but we need the pilot.:
https://news.ontario.ca/mcss/en/2017/03/ontario-releases-basic-income-consultation-feedback.html…”

“We're serious about reducing pressure of housing costs felt by Ontarians & providing more affordable options for people to choose from.”
Between November 3, 2016 and January 31, 2017, about 1,200 participants attended 14 public consultations held in communities across Ontario and over 34,000 people completed the online survey.
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Written submissions were received from more than 80 community organizations and groups with expertise and experience in fighting poverty.
 
(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)