Quote:It's part of a pilot program to reduce poverty.

Quote:If people know for sure they'll have enough money for essentials, will they contribute more to society? That's one of the many questions Canada aims to answer with a new pilot program that will give free money to citizens for doing nothing.

The Canadian province of Ontario is getting ready to start an experiment in which it pays people a little bit each month to cover basic expenses. It's a type of social safety net called basic income, and it's an idea that's gaining steam in both progressive and libertarian economic circles (albeit in different forms) as a way to support the poor and the struggling while boosting economic growth.

The basic income trial is included in Ontario's 2017-2018 budget, which was introduced by the government in late February and is expected to pass soon. There are no specific figures yet for how many people will participate or how much money they would receive, but recent trials in Finland and the Netherlands have proposed between $800 and $1,000 per month.

The plan is part of a larger push to reduce poverty and expand the safety net in Ontario. The budget also includes a proposal to give free university and college tuition to low-income students.
Ideally, basic income is large enough to allow a person to live very sparsely if he or she can't or doesn't want to work, but small enough that most people will still choose to have jobs. Unlike something like unemployment benefits -- which generally require proof that a person has lost a job in a specific way or for a specific reason, and also that he or she is looking for a new one as soon as possible -- basic income doesn't have strings attached.  

Quote:Canada Is About To Start Giving Away Free Money

(05-29-2016, 04:31 PM)solarius Wrote:

Quote:Canada Is About To Start Giving Away Free Money

I almost choked just reading the title.

Of course we give free money. And free housing too. And free lunch. And all sorts of other fantastic benefits. Just ask our Syrian Friends that just migrated here.

As for us workers, more and more taxes and a maple scented finger up our asses is what we get.

Urgh.

Quote:According to a new report by the right-leaning Fraser Institute, the average Canadian family will contribute $11,735 in taxes for public health insurance in 2015.

However, as the report notes, not every Canadian pays an equal amount in taxes. Dependents and children are not responsible for paying taxes, while high-income earners must pay more than low-income earners.

To account for this, the study broke average Canadian families down into 10 income groups, concluding that Canada’s poorest families pay $477 a year for health care, while the wealthiest earners pay $59,666 a year.
The report also found that the cost of health care is on the rise, increasing 1.6 times faster than the average income.