Global Experts Converge in Toronto to Debate National Basic Income

Experts from more than 30 countries are gathering at Toronto Metropolitan University this week for the 25th annual Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN) Congress, as CBC Toronto first reported. A primary focus of the four-day event is Bill S-206, a piece of legislation currently under study by a Senate committee.

Sponsored by Sen. Kim Pate, Bill S-206 would require the Minister of Finance to establish a national framework providing a guaranteed livable basic income to all Canadians over the age of 17, regardless of work status. BIEN chair Sheila Regehr told CBC Toronto that the proposal seeks to extend the type of economic security already provided to seniors and families with children—via programs like the Canada child benefit and the Canadian disability benefit—to individuals aged 18 to 64.

The debate arrives years after Ontario Premier Doug Ford cancelled a $150-million basic income pilot program in 2019, just one year into its three-year run. Sen. Pate noted that while only four communities participated, 400 municipalities had expressed interest. She told CBC Toronto that data from that short-lived project showed participants were able to move off social assistance.

However, the proposal faces significant pushback. CBC Toronto reports that some academics, think tanks, and politicians argue the cost is too high or that it would discourage employment. During an October 2025 Senate session, Conservative-affiliated Sen. Michael MacDonald argued that such a policy could discourage the ambition and drive of young people.

In response, Sen. Pate suggests that current social supports actually disincentivize work because benefits vanish immediately upon employment. Bill S-206 instead proposes a gradual reduction of support as recipients earn more. The bill must still pass through the House of Commons before any framework can be implemented.