A Chatham-Kent councillor wants the municipality to throw its support behind a basic income guarantee for all Canadians.
In motion coming to council on Monday, Ward 5 Councillor Carmen McGregor is asking that the mayor and council support the passage of Bill S-233 in the Senate and that the mayor draft a letter to the federal government with a resolution urging action based on the motion.
McGregor’s motion also calls for the mayor’s resolution to be sent to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and then distributed to all municipalities across Canada with a request for support.
Bill S-233, an act to develop a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income is currently being considered by the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance after passing second reading in April 2023.
In her motion, McGregor noted that a basic income guarantee program for people over the age of 17 would help to reduce poverty and improve income security in Canada. She said adequate and secure income has a direct impact on a person’s health as it relates to food security, education, housing, and mental health.