During the 2025 Canadian Federal Election, UBI Works launched a national letter-writing campaign to federal candidates urging them to support basic income. Canadians across the nation of all political views joined our campaign and wrote nearly 1,000 personalized letters to their riding candidates. We published some of these letters in threads on Bluesky and X.

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Here are a few snippets from the letters:

The fact is that UBI works. Poverty could be erradicated, the economy reinvigorated, and Canadian culture's impact on the world could be unparalleled. Make the obvious choice and push for UBI across Canada.

This isn't a partisan issue.  This is a human issue.

We know UBI works.  We know it is good for the economy.  Let's get it done.

I truly believe UBI and election reform in Canada will be the next two issues that Canadians are going to vote on. Make sure you are on the right side of history.

I and the people of my faith group identify as moderate conservatives politically… This is the most fiscally conservative method of eliminating poverty in our society…  If you want my vote then you must commit to enacting UBI.

UBI isn’t just about reducing poverty—though it could do that by 40–80% without raising new taxes on working Canadians.

It’s about building a foundation of economic dignity and opportunity for people of all ages and walks of life.

Far from a fringe proposal, UBI has diverse support across the political spectrum, including endorsement from figures like former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Senator Hugh Segal.

This broad backing reveals a consensus on its benefits, highlighting the opportunity to unite for a common cause.

As a marketing professional, I’ve watched AI replace design, writing, and advertising—the entire field I built my life on is vanishing just as I turn 60. What now?

This patchwork approach is failing people. Let’s fix it. Let's start with basic income.

No one should spend their 80s in fear, exhausted from a lifetime of work, only to be discarded. We need a system that respects every Canadian equally—not just the ones with the right jobs or connections.

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Read more below:

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Anecdotes are fine, but here are some stats: the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis found that a national basic income program would grow the economy by $80 billion per year and create hundreds of thousands of jobs; inversely, such a program would only cost 3% of total government spending without any new taxes on working Canadians.

Notably, this is cheaper and more effective than our current methods of addressing poverty.

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AI will take more and more jobs from those who may not be tech-savvy enough to be retrained to work in that sector.

I understand that UBI pilots have successfully allowed people to go to school, to create businesses and improve their communities.

I truly believe UBI and election reform in Canada will be the next two issues that Canadians are going to vote on. Make sure you are on the right side of history.

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I have been a long time supporter of a Basic Income program. The pilot research and data analysis is overwhelmingly convincing.

Basic income could reduce poverty by 40–80% without new taxes on working Canadians.

The Parliamentary Budget Office found the net cost as low as $3.6B—just 5% of what poverty already costs us. We're already spending enough money to nearly eliminate poverty—we’re just spending it badly.

It supports people to work, retrain, and start businesses, not opt out. It is a pro-active measure, not reactive.

It is supported by Canadian CEOs, Nobel Prize winners, and leaders across the political spectrum. Will you support Basic Income?

I am counting on you to make this essential program part of your election platform.

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I worked for many years in the "welfare" system in Ontario. While I needed that job, I could also see that it would be far more efficient and would better honour the human rights of clients if we had a universal basic income.

We already have a means test system via the income tax system. A universal basic income (taxable) could easily be added to the already existing refundable tax credits and benefits for children.  We would only need caseworkers to handle emergency applications for help. All other staff would be better used if allocated to employment counselling, assisting disabled people to access the services and aids they need, and referring people to other counselling or services as needed.

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Far from a fringe proposal, UBI has diverse support across the political spectrum, including endorsement from figures like former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Senator Hugh Segal. This broad backing reveals a consensus on its benefits, highlighting the opportunity to unite for a common cause.

Lastly, the success of existing basic income programs illustrates UBI's viability. By effectively reducing poverty through child and senior benefits and proven models like Alaska’s oil dividend, we see that UBI can work in practice.

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I think there is a common misconception that the majority of recipients of a basic income will want to sit on the couch and not work. The data doesn't show that to be the case.

‍The only people who worked less long-term in the studies were disabled people who were actively getting sicker or more in pain because of employment, and single parents who needed time to do their real job - parenting.

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UBI isn’t just about reducing poverty—though it could do that by 40–80% without raising new taxes on working Canadians. It’s about building a foundation of economic dignity and opportunity for people of all ages and walks of life.

It would allow older workers to retrain or scale back without falling into financial insecurity, and give young people the stability to start businesses, pursue education, or take care of their mental health.

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I work in health care, which is amazing, but was not created for working moms in mind. Daycare is Monday through friday 9-5 set for white collar privilege.

Trades are primarily shift work, i have my certification, and i cant work fulltime because i dont have childcare, basic income would change my life! Making it so i can work part time and save for our future. I can upgrade the vehicle, so i have more options for work.

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I've always thought of it as a way to encourage entrepreneurship. I believe it would be a great relief to many who want to start a business to know they have a safety net if they are not successful.

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Studies have shown with basic income pilots that it decreases unemployment, poverty, and homelessness while increasing people's quality of life.

They take more good risks due to the financial stability given to them, such as applying to jobs that they previously would have avoided due to costs associated, and taking on more post secondary education. It allows people the ability to improve themselves in ways they may not have been able to afford previously.

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During covid I ran a restaurant, we opened just 3 months before covid hit. Covid destroyed not only my business but also my mental health which in turn impacted my physical health. If I had UBI to rely on my physical health would have been spared, and most likely my mental health as well.

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It's very easy to imagine AI being better than people at most professional jobs within a very short timeframe - maybe only a few years. As people's labour becomes less valuable, our society needs to evolve a new model for the way we value the contributions of human beings and distrubute wealth so that the owners of AI technology are not the only people able to be able to accumulate wealth and to meet their families' needs.

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I am a self-employed artist and mother. I am extremely fortunate to be able to do what I love and make a comfortable living for us, but I am also keenly aware that I don't have a safety net like many others; I don't have a pension plan, health insurance or other benefits through an employer. Being self-employed, I also can't claim employment or disability insurance. All this leaves me and my family financially very vulnerable.

A Basic Income would give me that assurance that we will be ok, even if our circumstances might change.

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My husband and I are hoping to start a family soon. We both have decent jobs but yet we are still basically living paycheck to paycheck. We will likely never own a home.

Childcare is insanely expensive, and it almost doesn't make sense to have both parents working when daycare would be almost a full paycheck. Universal basic income would really help everyone, giving opportunites and setting up people in everyday situations so they can continue to grow families and be secure in their future.

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When I was in elementary school 65 years ago, our class was studying "automation".  Our teacher told us that this would eliminate jobs for people, and that eventually there would be sharing of the wealth with everyone, as not everyone would have a job.  I wondered about that - would the people with the money share?  I decided to believe in the hope that they would.

Well, the time is now, and it is our governments who must implement this sharing of wealth.  I'm sure others have written to you about the benefits of Basic Income, so I won't go into those details.

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While predictions of when AI will be generally able to replace human workers vary, the CEO of Anthropic, the company behind Claude, has publicly stated that he believes it will happen in just a year or two. His company is working on creating an AI that can use the computer, and essentially do the job of an office worker. All this is all against the backdrop of youth unemployment already being high. My sister for example has been unable to find a summer job, despite having a strong resume for a university student, and there are many more in her position.

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Please, I am asking you: institute a Basic Income. Something decent. Something a person can actually live on.

No one should spend their 80s in fear, exhausted from a lifetime of work, only to be discarded. We need a system that respects every Canadian equally—not just the ones with the right jobs or connections.

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This isn't a partisan issue.  This is a human issue.  Those who are fortunate enough to have never known these struggles cannot appreciate or understand the devastating toll it takes on your mental and physical health.  I am begging you to consider my case and understand that there are thousands upon thousands out there in similar and worse situations that would have their lives changed by UBI.  

We know it works.  We know it is good for the economy.  Let's get it done.

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I have been a firm supporter of UBI since I first heard of it at a church conference I attended in 2016.  I and the people of my faith group identify as moderate conservatives politically… This is the most fiscally conservative method of eliminating poverty in our society, as it gets rid of many agencies whose services keep Canadians trapped in the poverty cycle.

Getting rid of unneeded agencies with their bloated bureaucracies, will help repay the initial costs of implementing UBI.  If you want my vote then you must commit to enacting UBI.

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The myths cannot outweigh the evidence and the supporters of this policy. This will save tax payers, not increase taxes. This will make people healthier & happier, more highly educated and paid more, given the incentive upgrade education which leads to higher paid employment.

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UBI would pave the way to so much innovation and creativity among the people of this country. Think about how much energy, effort and passion people would put into creative endeavors if they could take the financial risk, or drop one of several jobs to put time into something they found fulfilling.

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A UBI will save taxpayers from poverty without significantly impacting hours worked or taxation of workers. It will protect Canadians in times of ecomonic turmoil. It will grow the economy and create jobs. It will help Canadians to be healthier.

UBI is a policy with broad support that we know works.

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We need UBI.  All our jobs will eventually be automated.  What is the plan for the future of UBI?

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Far from being a cost, UBI is an investment. A national basic income could grow the economy by $80 billion per year and create over 600,000 jobs, according to the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis.

Programs like the Canada Child Benefit already show that income supports deliver a high return on investment—generating $2 in economic activity for every $1 spent, while keeping 250,000 families out of poverty.

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I am looking for a candidate who will champion a guaranteed basic income.

This is a bold idea that in the long run will not only lift many Canadians out of poverty but also save various levels of government money as the anticipated expenses for health care, policing, and the justice system will undoubtedly drop as people make better lifestyle choices.

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I am the President of Society of Saint Vincent de Paul Canada, a not-for-profit organization who helps people in need. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul Canada supports Guaranteed Basic Income.

The National Council of Canada Board of Directors of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society supports the establishment of a means tested Basic Income program to help alleviate poverty in Canada... as the Child Benefit and Income Supplement programs have succeeded in doing. Statistics Canada confirms that since their inceptions, Child Benefit has reduced child poverty from 15% to 8% and Income Supplement has been instrumental in keeping the poverty rate for seniors at around 3% (versus the overall poverty rate of over 9%).

Our charitable organization consists of over 14,000 volunteers who visit our neighbours in need from coast to coast to coast in Canada. Annually we visit over 150,000 households, bringing food, clothing and furniture vouchers. Thousands more are assisted through our soup kitchens, shelters and drop-ins. Our personal interactions with the people in need allow us to witness first-hand how many families, dependent on social assistance and minimum wage employment, struggle to keep food on the table and a decent roof over their heads. Those households not entitled to Child Benefits or the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors are especially hard pressed. Provincial social assistance programs across Canada are generally burdened with excessive administrative red tape, inadequate rates of assistance and rules that act as disincentives to employment or opportunities to improve financial standing. Workers engaged in low-paying precarious employment are literally earning ‘poverty wages.’

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Earlier, UBI Works activists sent 1,000 letters to Mark Carney and other candidates for the Liberal Party leadership. Read some of their letters here.

“To All, UBI works and we will all be better off.”

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