OTTAWA, NOVEMBER 4, 2025—Budget 2025 arrives at a pivotal moment. In an era of rising uncertainty, we applaud the government’s commitment to a stronger and more sovereign Canada. But we face growing inequality and precarity with too many people being left behind. That’s why a Basic Income Guarantee must be part of the plan—regular, unconditional income security sufficient to cover basic needs so everyone can thrive. This is the missing piece that aligns with the government’s Canada Strong plan to Unite, Secure, Protect, and Build.
Budget 2025 includes investments in major projects to build a strong economy and a more united Canada. By investing directly in the economic capacity of all Canadians a Basic Income Guarantee would be an unparalleled, unifying project—for Canadians impacted by tariffs, technological disruption and other risks that any of us could face. A country where people look out for each other is harder to divide and easier to mobilize for common goals. Canada’s productive capacity is its people. Canada’s greatest opportunity for growth is not in machines, capital deepening or nation-building projects; it is investing directly in the human beings who power them.
Budget 2025 invests in defending Canadian sovereignty and protecting against growing threats. But true security requires income security. Canadians need stable footing, the same way our nation does. It would take only a fraction of the Budget’s funding on defence to ensure basic living standards for all Canadians far more effectively and efficiently than our current patchwork across the country. The savings from investing in the health and wellbeing of Canadians through a Basic Income Guarantee would be significant and would help eliminate unnecessary, wasteful spending dealing with the symptoms, not the causes, of social problems.
Protecting social programs is not enough, we need to improve and expand them. To protect Canada is to protect our values and fundamental human rights. A Basic Income is key to completing a vision for a strong and prosperous Canada because income insufficiency is at the root of so much of poor health, food deprivation, housing unaffordability and other challenges. We welcome automatic tax filing, an advancement that can streamline the delivery of a basic income for those who need it.
Building Canada Strong means investing in the people who build this country. People who have adequate incomes strengthen local economies, create jobs, innovate, raise families, and build communities. As a leader in AI, Canada should support people through transitions and ensure AI’s gains are broadly and fairly shared.
Budget 2025 identifies important priorities—building a secure and united Canada—but it could do better by making tangible investments in the lives of Canadians. A Basic Income Guarantee could provide an economic stimulus and ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive in the future of the Canada we build together.
For more information:
Dr. Tracy Smith-Carrier, Professor & Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Tracy.smithcarrier@royalroads.ca), (519-317-4155).
Sheila Regehr, Chair, Basic Income Canada Network (sj.regehr@gmail.com), (647-467-0311).
Dr. Elizabeth Kay-Raining Bird, Emeritus Professor, Dalhousie University; Steering Committee Member, Coalition Canada Basic Income-revenu de base (Rainingbird@Dal.Ca), (902-431-8007).
Dr. Sid Frankel, Senior Scholar, Faculty of Social Work, University of Manitoba; Executive Board Member, Basic Income Canada Network (Sid.Frankel@umanitoba.ca), (204-295-3749).
Ken Yang, UBI Works (ken@ubiworks.ca), (647-669-7973).
List of Organizations Endorsing the Federal Budget Statement
Anglican Diocese of Niagara
Basic Income BC
Basic Income Canada Network
Basic Income Calgary
Basic Income Manitoba
Basic Income Nova Scotia
Basic Income NOW Atlantic Canada
Basic Income Ottawa
Basic Income Waterloo Region
Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers)
Canadian Poverty Institute
Citizens for Public Justice
Coalition Canada Basic Income – revenue de base
Grandm(o)thers Act to Save the Planet (GASP)
Greater Fredericton Social Innovation
Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction
Kingston Action Group for a Basic Income Guarantee
Lanark Basic Income Network
Ontario Basic Income Network
PEI Working Group for a Liveable Income
Saskatchewan Poverty Reduction Partnership
South East Equity Coalition
Tamarack Institute
The Green Resilience Project
UBI Works
Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition