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Ontario expands outreach for basic income clients

Province looks for help from Lakehead Social Planning Council and others
Thunder Bay Marina
File photo.

THUNDER BAY -- The Ministry of Community and Social Services says it is taking a phased approach to implementing the Ontario Basic Income Pilot in the Thunder Bay, Hamilton and Lindsay areas.

Announced in April, the three-year project will give participants up to $17,000 for single individuals or $24,000 for couples, less 50 per cent of any earned income.

The government is looking to recruit about 1,000 clients in the Thunder Bay area, and 4,000 in total across the three pilot regions.

Asked to respond to reports that the response to the program has been slow, a ministry spokesperson told Tbnewswatch.com in an email that the government is "starting small, building up, and taking our time to get it right. That's why we're starting with the enrollment of a small number of participants over the next several months, ramping up over time" and making adjustments as necessary. 

The spokesperson said the government is following the advice of expert advisors and will use different methods to enroll people in the pilot.

She said the mailing of application packages earlier this year to households in the three areas was "to raise awareness about the project."

Currently, the spokesperson said, a "small letter" is being mailed instead of the full application package, while recipients of the packages now have the option of sharing it with another member of their household.

The ministry has also reached out to local networks and community agencies to raise awareness about the pilot and help identify potential participants.

One of those groups is the Lakehead Social Planning Council.

Marie Klassen, LSPC's Director of Services, said "We have a good way to convene with people who may find this project beneficial."

Klassen noted that her agency interacts with a lot of people, such as clients who come through its income tax clinic, who could benefit from the basic income program, "and we're just supporting that project right now, on a very informal basis."

The LSPC is talking to walk-in clientele about the project, making them aware of what it means to participate, and how they can apply.

The ministry spokesperson said officials are just starting to work closely with Thunder Bay-area community organizations, and will share further details in the near future.

She said a study of this kind needs to use a number of different ways to get people talking about the study in order to reach more marginalized populations.



Gary Rinne

About the Author: Gary Rinne

Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Gary started part-time at Tbnewswatch in 2016 after retiring from the CBC
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