The Implementation of Guaranteed Basic Income in Canada

Abstract

The Canadian welfare system has been in place for several decades, but it has not fully addressed social issues such as poverty and economic change. Guaranteed basic income (GBI) has emerged as a potential solution to existing social programs failing to have their desired impact, and there are many proposals for what a basic income should look like in Canada. These works are primarily focused on economic calculation and moral arguments, and implementation serves as a secondary concern to these primary imperatives. My presentation analyzes GBI through an implementation studies lens and creates a layout for the implementation of my own GBI proposal, with lessons taken from the Canadian basic income projects in Manitoba (1975-77) and Ontario (2016-18).

Department: Political Science 

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Brendan Boyd