Everyone deserves to live with dignity. Across the country, people are struggling to afford basic necessities. That’s why the United Church is calling on the federal government to create a Guaranteed Livable Income program. It’s a practical, compassionate solution that would help ensure no one is left behind. By providing a consistent income floor, it can reduce poverty, improve health outcomes, and give people the stability they need to thrive.

You can help make this change happen. The national GLI Network has made it easy to contact the Senate Committee who is reviewing Bill S-206 for the creation of a Guaranteed Livable Income. Add your voice today with just a few clicks: https://united-church.ca/social-action/act-now/create-guaranteed-livable-income-program

Together, our voices can help build a more just and compassionate Canada.

What is a Guaranteed Livable Income?

Think back to the COVID pandemic, and the federal program known as CERB. It was set up to support people and small businesses who faced immediate and severe financial impacts because of the necessary health measures to contain the spread of disease. It was a terribly stressful time for so many, with millions of people suddenly losing their livelihood. CERB made a positive difference to millions of Canadians. From this example, and from the many difficult impacts of COVID, advocates renewed the decades-long call for a universal basic income, now more commonly called a guaranteed livable income.

A Guaranteed Livable Income (GLI) is a payment to individuals or families by government (federal and/or provincial/territorial) that covers the cost of basic necessities (food, shelter, clothing, transportation, and community participation) and is not conditional on meeting employment criteria in order to qualify for the payment. However, demographic conditions such as age and residency or citizenship may be imposed as eligibility requirements. The incomes would be unconditional, automatic, non-withdrawable, individual, and a right of every legal resident.

Since 1972, The United Church of Canada has advocated a policy of Guaranteed Livable Income that is more equitable and less expensive and complicated to administer than the numerous government support programs presently available. Since then, national and international studies and pilot projects have shown that GLI is both affordable and has beneficial effects in the areas of health, justice, education, and social welfare. GLI would be part of the national fabric of services that preserve and protect Canadians; or, as Jesus put it, “to love our neighbours as ourselves.”

Welcome to the Manitoba Guaranteed Livable Income working group!

Our goal is to get a guaranteed livable income (GLI) introduced across Canada. Our working group is a collection of people from other organizations, including The United Church of Canada (and its national GLI Network), One Just City and the Southeast Equity Coalition. As a collaboration, we recognize the need for a unified voice, so one of our priorities is to cooperate and connect with other like organizations to share resources and people power.

A GLI is a government payment to individuals or families that covers the cost of basic necessities. Qualifying for it is not conditional on meeting employment criteria. Basic necessities in this case include food, shelter, clothing, transportation and community participation. A GLI is called by different names: basic income, livable income, livable basic benefit, etc.

We’re using the term guaranteed livable income, which the United Church also uses, because we agree that including “guaranteed” emphasizes that it will be available to anyone below a certain income level, and “livable” makes clear it is an income that enables people to live with dignity (thrive, not just survive).

Our priorities, along with a unified voice, are education and advocacy.

To that end:

You can learn more about a GLI through Basic Income Manitoba, Make Poverty History, or The United Church of Canada.

As a working group, we meet over Zoom every month. If you are interested in joining our working group or popping into a meeting to see what we’re all about, please contact Prairie to Pine Regional Council justice staff Julie Graham, and they can put you in touch: jgraham@united-church.ca