A proposed bill aimed at establishing a national framework for guaranteed basic income in Canada will be a key topic at an international basic income conference taking place in Toronto this week.
Bill S-206, which is currently under review by a Senate committee, would instruct the Minister of Finance to create a national framework ensuring that every Canadian over the age of 17 receives a guaranteed livable basic income without any work requirements.
This topic will be discussed in detail on Wednesday at the Basic Income Earth Network Congress (BIEN), which is hosting its 25th annual international event at Toronto Metropolitan University this year.
A basic income policy like the one proposed in S-206 “isn’t some crazy radical idea,” stated BIEN chair Sheila Regehr.
“In essence, what it is asking for is to provide a similar kind of economic support and security to people 18 to 64 years old that we already provide to families with children and to seniors.”
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The annual international congress will take place at Toronto Metropolitan University from Wednesday to Saturday. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)
The existing federal programs Regehr mentions include the Canadian disability benefit or the Canada child benefit, which are only available to specific groups.
Regehr also noted that this four-day event offers international experts from 30 countries an opportunity to exchange strategies and learn from Canadian activists.
“It’s my hope that people then take that [and say] ‘I think I understand where Canada is or I have some ideas about what Canada might need, let me go find out what’s happened in Brazil or Germany or South Africa,'” she said.
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Sen. Kim Pate is sponsoring Bill S-206, calling for the federal Minister of Finance to create a national basic income program framework. (Dalhousie University)
Pate also mentioned evidence from just one year’s worth of data showing how effective unconditional payments were.
“The people who were able to participate in that program, even though it was cut short, many of them were able to get off social assistance,” she said.
She expressed her belief that a successful framework could operate similarly to the former Ontario pilot project, where participants could increase their total income while receiving their basic income payments, which would gradually decrease as they earn more money.
According to Regehr, S-206 aligns well with efforts by global advocates for basic income seeking solutions for various social challenges.
“[Basic income] can help address many of these interacting issues, from artificial intelligence to the environment, threats against democracy, and overall massive inequality,” she said.
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Ontario pilot project ended nearly ten years ago
The congress arrives in Toronto eight years after Ontario Premier Doug Ford terminated a three-year $150-million basic income pilot program just one year after it began. Bill S-206 sponsor Sen. Kim Pate, who will be addressing attendees at the congress, pointed out that interest in basic income can be seen through the lens of the canceled Ontario initiative. “There were four communities that were able to participate in that initiative. If I recall, it was 400 municipalities who wanted to participate in it,” she said.Senator worries about ‘discouraging ambition’
However, S-206 – along with the broader concept of basic income – faces opposition as well.> Previous attempts at implementing a basic income policy in Canada have been criticized by some politicians, think tanks and academics who argue it’s too costly or may discourage Canadians from entering the workforce.> During a Senate session held late October 2025， Conservative-affiliated Sen. Michael Mac Donald voiced similar concerns regarding Bill S-206 specifically.> “Such a policy risks discouraging ambition and personal drive precisely when young people should be working to build their futures,” Mac Donald stated during the hearing.> Pate argued that current social support services tend disincentivize citizens from working because support vanishes immediately upon starting employment.> She explained that Bill S-206 proposes instead a gradual reduction of support once recipients begin earning an income， making it easier for them transition away from dependent assistance.> This bill remains under consideration within Senate and still needs approval from House of Commons before any further actions can take place.> Pate had previously sponsored another basic income bill， S-233， back in 2021，但它未能通过国会财政委员会的审议.Source link
