The University of British Columbia
UBC - A Place of Mind
The University of British Columbia
Vancouver School of Economics
  • Undergraduate
    • Programs
    • Courses
      • Course Descriptions
      • Course Listings
    • Student Advising
    • Student Clubs
  • Graduate
    • MA Program
    • Ph.D. Program
    • Graduate Courses
    • Current Students
      • Current Offerings
      • All Graduate Courses
    • Graduate Resources
  • People
    • Faculty
    • Emeritus Faculty
    • Visiting Faculty
    • Faculty Affiliates
    • Staff
    • PhD Job Market Candidates
    • PhD Students
    • Key Contacts
    • About the VSE
    • Work With Us
  • Research
    • Faculty Research Fields
    • Research Centres
    • FDZ-IAB Data Access Point
    • Experimental Lab (ELVSE)
    • Policy Discussions
    • Lima Summer School
  • News & Events
    • Newsletter
    • Events
    • Seminars
    • Woodward Lectures
  • Careers
    • BA Career Services
    • BIE Career Services
    • Co-Op Options
  • Alumni
    • Alumni FAQ
  • Giving
  • Internal
    • Meeting Rooms
    • COVID-19 Safety Plan
  • Apply Now
Home / News / 2021 / B.C. has better tools than universal basic income to create a more just society, report finds
News
Newsletter
Submit Content
Events
Seminars
Woodward Lectures
VSE Events

Media Enquiries

Corey Allen
Manager, Communications, Media, and Web, Vancouver School of Economics
corey.allen@ubc.ca

Find News By Topic

Alumni
Awards
Events
Faculty
Programs
Research
Students

News Articles By Year

2016
2015
2014
2013
2012

B.C. has better tools than universal basic income to create a more just society, report finds

January 28, 2021 | Tagged: BC Basic Income Panel, CIDER, David Green

A basic income for all is not the best policy option to effectively tackle poverty and other justice-related issues in B.C., according to an expert panel of economists whose report on the idea of a basic income guarantee was released today.

The report, Covering All the Basics: Reforms For a More Just Society, found that a more successful strategy for creating a more just society would prioritize expansive reforms to current systems, administration, policies, and programs. The goals would be to improve social supports to vulnerable groups, deliver benefits to underserved single working-age adults and low-income renters, and provide targeted basic incomes to people with disabilities and youth aging out of care, among dozens of other recommendations.

Dr. David Green

“Our evidence suggests that a mixed, tailored system is the best approach for positive change,” said Dr. David Green, professor at the Vancouver School of Economics at UBC, and the panel’s chair. “British Columbians would stand to benefit the most with different approaches in different circumstances.”

The panel’s co-members are Dr. Jonathan Rhys Kesselman at SFU’s school of public policy and Dr. Lindsay Tedds at the University of Calgary’s school of public policy.

The report is the culmination of more than two years of study, and is based on more than 40 research papers commissioned by the panel.

The panel made 65 recommendations to the government, including:

• Extended health supplements including basic dental coverage and rental housing assistance for all households at low incomes including the working poor and independent of the Income Assistance system
• Targeted programs that combine cash transfers with wraparound social support for groups in transition, like youth aging out of care, persons fleeing domestic violence, and those facing high barriers to employment, who have more specific needs
• An overhaul of the Disability Assistance system, with a renewed emphasis on those with mental health and addiction issues, that emphasizes dignity and support for work for those who want it, reformulating the program as a targeted basic income
• A reformed Temporary Assistance program, providing monetary benefits in a dignified and respectful way to those able to work and better facilitating their transition to employment
• Increased benefit amounts for both Disability Assistance and Temporary Assistance recipients and reducing the disincentives for beneficiaries to pursue paid employment
• Adjustments to tax system-delivered benefits, such as a provincial earnings supplement for the working poor and targeting BC’s Child Opportunity Benefit more directly to families with children living in poverty
• Regulatory reform to improve job conditions and wages for low-skill, low-income workers which dovetail with other measures to encourage work

For the full report and all of its recommendations, click here.

For the executive summary, click here.

For more about the panel and the research papers, visit bcbasicincomepanel.ca

Vancouver School of Economics
Faculty of Arts
6000 Iona Drive
Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1L4
Tel 604 822 2876
Fax 604 822 5915
Find us on
    
Back to top
The University of British Columbia
  • Emergency Procedures |
  • Terms of Use |
  • Copyright |
  • Accessibility