Jill Umback - Universal Basic Income

Jill Umback – Universal Basic Income

Meeting Was Held On -

Tuesday, July 14, 2020 3:53 PM

Jill Umbach of the United Way’s Poverty Task Force.

Canada is at a critical juncture where emergency COVID-19 benefits wind-down or reshaped into an ongoing basic income that enables everyone to be part of a better, new normal. There are a variety of briefs and community voices being presented to the government – most recently to the Senate. Some of the Canadian issues of a Universal Basic Income are:

We know that we live in a rich country and we can fund programs that are good for the economy and the community.
We know that Basic Income is not a panacea for people living in poverty. Lives are too complex for a single solution.
We know that it does not solve the problem of affordable housing, quality accessible childcare or gender inequality in the workplace.
We know that a Basic Income+ would be a supplement to other programs that serve to meet basic needs.
We know that it will not address sexism, racism etc. across our society but that it will move us toward more equity and equality.
We know that 56% of women in Canada work in 5Cs jobs: caring, clerical, catering, cashiering and cleaning.
We know that women are 2 times more likely to lose their job or have their hours reduced under COVID19.
We know that many women are now working triple shifts – homeschooling children, unpaid house work and paid at home work.
We know that Basic Income+ needs to be a liveable income and be tied with the cost of living.
We know that Basic Income+ could enable women’s economic independence, offer greater choices, more flexibility, childcare affordability, more bargaining power in employment and access to better housing & neighbourhoods, improved health and wellbeing. (Evelyn Forget, 18 June 2020 – Tamarack webinar: Basic Income & Gender Inequality)

The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) has given some people a taste of what they could gain if a universal basic income program were implemented. CERB was designed to keep people at home. As we reopen our community and country, we need to design a system that will increase people’s ability to fully participate in our society.