Prominent Canadian supporters of Basic Income

Basic income is backed by an unusually broad coalition of leading Canadian influencers, business leaders, public intellectuals, elected officials, organizations, and municipalities. Everyone on this page has demonstrated unequivocal support.

Note: This list includes former titles and may not not be exhaustive or fully up-to-date. Comments/suggestions: info@ubiworks.ca

Prominent Influencers
Dr. Geoffrey Hinton - Nobel Laureate in Physics, University of Toronto professor emeritus, “Godfather of AI,” and pioneer of deep neural networks (Link)
Ryan Reynolds - Actor, producer, entrepreneur (Link)
David Suzuki - Scientist, environmentalist, and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation (Link)
George Stroumboulopoulos - Canadian media personality and television host (Link)
Naomi Klein - New York Times bestselling author, journalist, filmmaker (Link)
Vitalik Buterin - Ethereum co-founder (Link)
Steve Paikin - Journalist, author, host of TVO’s The Agenda (Link)
Amanda Lang - Business journalist, Bloomberg TV host (Link)
Amber Mac - TV/media personality, technology journalist, and author (Link)
Stephen Poloz - Governor of the Bank of Canada (Link)
Gail Vaz-Oxlade - TV personality, personal finance writer, and host of Till Debt Do Us Part (Link)
Max Fawcett - Canada's National Observer's lead columnist and political commentator (Link)
Ed the Sock - Canadian media personality (Link)
Jim Stanford - Economist, founder of the Progressive Economics Forum and Director of the Centre for Future Work (Link)
Dr. Danielle Martin - Physician, Chair of University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine Department of Family and Community Medicine, MP for University-Rosedale (Link)
Dr. Andrew Boozary - Physician, founding Executive Director of the University Health Network Gattuso Centre for Social Medicine (Link)
Politicians
Senators
Kim Pate - Independent senator and sponsor of Bill S-206
Chantal Petitclerc - Independent senator, Paralympic champion, and disability advocate
Yuen Pau Woo - Independent senator, President and CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
Frances Lankin - Independent senator, Ontario cabinet minister, President and CEO of United Way Toronto
Paula Simons - Independent senator, radio producer, documentary maker, and historian
Colin Deacon - Independent senator and entrepreneur
Marilou McPhedran - Independent senator, lawyer, and human rights advocate
Pat Duncan - Independent senator and Yukon premier
Victor Boudreau - Independent senator and New Brunswick cabinet minister
Ratna Omidvar - Independent senator and president of the Maytree Foundation
40+ Canadian senators who signed an open letter calling for basic income
Conservatives
Brian Mulroney - Prime Minister of Canada (Link)
Hugh Segal - Senator, chief of staff to Brian Mulroney and Bill Davis (Link)
Perrin Beatty - PC cabinet minister, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (Link)
John Tory - Mayor of Toronto and Ontario Progressive Conservative leader (Link)
Robert Stanfield - Progressive Conservative leader (Link)
John Robarts - Premier of Ontario (Link)
Dennis King - Premier of Prince Edward Island (Link)
Rob Lantz - Premier of Prince Edward Island (Link)
Melissa Lantsman - Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada (Link)
Bruce Stanton - MP for Simcoe North (Link)
Dan Carter - Mayor of Oshawa (Link)
Liberals
Bob Rae - Ontario premier, diplomat, and longtime federal public figure
Kathleen Wynne - Premier of Ontario
Art Eggleton - MP for York Centre, cabinet minister, and senator
Jean-Yves Duclos - MP for Québec Centre and cabinet minister
Mona Fortier - MP for Ottawa—Vanier and cabinet minister
Karina Gould - MP for Burlington and cabinet minister
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith - MP for Beaches—East York
Julie Dzerowicz - MP for Davenport and sponsor of Bill C-273
Dr. Danielle Martin - MP for University-Rosedale
Michael Coteau - MP for Don Valley East and Ontario cabinet minister
Yasir Naqvi - MP for Ottawa Centre and Ontario MPP
Marie-France Lalonde - MP for Orléans and Ontario MPP
Rachel Bendayan - MP for Outremont
Jenica Atwin - MP for Fredericton
Sean Casey - MP for Charlottetown
Wayne Easter - MP for Malpeque
Mark Gerretsen - MP for Kingston and the Islands
Andy Fillmore - MP for Halifax
Gudie Hutchings - MP for Long Range Mountains
Helena Jaczek - MP for Markham—Stouffville and cabinet minister
John McKay - MP for Scarborough—Guildwood
Pam Damoff - MP for Oakville North—Burlington
Jaime Battiste - MP for Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish
Julie Dabrusin - MP for Toronto—Danforth
Annie Koutrakis - MP for Vimy
Ryan Turnbull - MP for Whitby
Salma Zahid - MP for Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East
Lenore Zann - MP for Cumberland—Colchester
Mary-Margaret McMahon - Ontario MPP for Beaches—East York
Tyler Watt - Ontario MPP for Nepean and registered nurse
Alvin Tedjo - Ontario Liberal Party leadership candidate and Mississauga councillor
NDP
Avi Lewis - Leader of the federal NDP, journalist, and filmmaker
Stephen Lewis - Ontario NDP leader, MPP for Scarborough West, diplomat, and UN envoy
Andrea Horwath - Mayor of Hamilton, leader of the Ontario NDP
Jagmeet Singh - MP for Burnaby South
Leah Gazan - MP for Winnipeg Centre
Peter Julian - MP for New Westminster—Burnaby
Don Davies - MP for Vancouver Kingsway
Charlie Angus - MP for Timmins—James Bay
Guy Caron - MP for Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques
Jenny Kwan - MP for Vancouver East
Heather McPherson - MP for Edmonton Strathcona
Alexandre Boulerice - MP for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie
Gord Johns - MP for Courtenay—Alberni
Niki Ashton - MP for Churchill—Keewatinook Aski
Matthew Green - MP for Hamilton Centre
Alistair MacGregor - MP for Cowichan—Malahat—Langford
Laurel Collins - MP for Victoria
Richard Cannings - MP for South Okanagan—West Kootenay
Taylor Bachrach - MP for Skeena—Bulkley Valley
Lindsay Mathyssen - MP for London—Fanshawe
Rachel Blaney - MP for North Island—Powell River
Daniel Blaikie - MP for Elmwood—Transcona
Randall Garrison - MP for Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke
Cheri DiNovo - Ontario MPP for Parkdale—High Park, United Church of Canada minister
Peggy Sattler - Ontario MPP for London West
Chandra Pasma - Ontario MPP for Ottawa West—Nepean
France Gélinas - Ontario MPP for Nickel Belt
Sandy Shaw - Ontario MPP for Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas
Dr. Jill Andrew - Ontario MPP for Toronto—St. Paul's
Greens
Elizabeth May - Green Party of Canada leader
Annamie Paul - Green Party of Canada leader
Frank de Jong - Green Party of Ontario leader and environmentalist
Mike Morrice - MP for Kitchener Centre
Paul Manly - MP for Nanaimo—Ladysmith
Mike Schreiner - Ontario Greens leader and MPP for Guelph
Business leaders
Tobi Lütke - Co-founder and CEO of Spotify (Link)
Arlene Dickinson - Entrepreneur, investor, and Dragon’s Den figure (Link)
Jim Estill - Founder and CEO of Danby (Link)
Floyd Marinescu - Co-founder and CEO of QCon conferences and InfoQ.com (Link)
Chris Ford - CEO & Managing Director of ElectricMind, CEO of Capco Canada (Link)
Audrey Mascarenhas - President and CEO of Questor Technology (QST.V) (Link)
Ashkan Karbasfrooshan - Founder and CEO of WatchMojo (Link)
Perrin Beatty - CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (Link)
Keanin Loomis - President and CEO of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce (Link)
Charla Robinson - President of the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce (Link)
Paul Vallée - Founder of Tehama (Link)
Shane Skillen - Founder and CEO of Hotspex (Link)
Jason Atkins - Founder and CEO of 360insights (Link)
Darryl Ballantyne - Founder and CEO of LyricFind (Link)
Peter Neal - Co-founder of Neal Brothers Foods (Link)
Michael Mazza - President and CEO of Middlesex Hospital Alliance (Link)
Alon Ozery - Co-founder of Ozery Bakery (Link)
Paul Smetanin - President and CEO of the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis (Link)
150+ Canadian CEOs and business leaders who signed an open letter at ceosforbasicincome.ca
Academic champions / economists
Dr. Evelyn Forget - University of Manitoba, professor of economics and community health sciences (Link)
Dr. Elizabeth Kay-Raining Bird - Dalhousie University, Professor Emeritus in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders (Link)
Dr. Tracy Smith-Carrier - Royal Roads University professor in the School of Humanitarian Studies at and Canada Research Chair (Link)
Dr. Elaine Power - Queen's University, Professor of Health Studies (Link)
Dr. Jiaying Zhao - UBC Psychology professor and Canada Research Chair (Link)
Dr. Lorne Whitehead - UBC Physics & Astronomy professor (Link)
Dr. James Mulvale - University of Manitoba, professor in Social Work (Link)
Dr. Wayne Simpson - University of Manitoba, professor of economics and research fellow at the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary (Link)
Dr. Wayne Lewchuk - McMaster University, Professor Emeritus, Labour Studies (Link)
Dr. Sid Frankl - University of Manitoba, associate professor in Social Work (Link)
Benjamin Tal - Deputy Chief Economist of CIBC (Link)
Brett House - Senior Fellow at Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, former Vice-President and Deputy Chief Economist at Scotiabank (Link)
Benoit Robidoux - Associate Deputy Minister, Employment and Social Development Canada (Link)
Organizations
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul Canada - National Catholic charitable organization (Link)
The United Church of Canada - Canada’s largest Protestant Christian denomination (Link)
Citizens for Public Justice - National faith-based public policy organization (Link)
Canadian Chamber of Commerce - National business association (Link)
Hamilton Chamber of Commerce - Regional chamber of commerce in Ontario (Link)
Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce - Regional chamber of commerce in Ontario (Link)
Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce - National chamber representing women entrepreneurs and business owners (Link)
Policy Options - Public policy magazine published by the Institute for Research on Public Policy (Link)
Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP) - Public policy think tank (Link)
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) - Public policy research institute (Link)
Greenpeace Canada - National environmental organization (Link)
Leadnow - National advocacy and campaigning organization (Link)
The Neighbourhood Group - Toronto-based multi-service community agency
Municipalities

The following are municipalities that have passed resolutions calling for basic income. Source: Basic Income Nova Scotia

British Columbia

Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities (AVICC)
North Cowichan
Union of BC Municipalities
Victoria

New Brunswick

Edmundston
Fredericton
Miramichi
Moncton
Saint John

Newfoundland and Labrador

Municipalities of Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John’s

Nova Scotia

Amherst
Annapolis County
Antigonish
Antigonish County
Berwick
Cape Breton Regional Municipality
Colchester County
County of Digby
County of Victoria
Cumberland County
District of Argyle
District of Guysborough
District of St. Mary’s
Halifax
Kentville
King’s County
Middleton
Municipality of Clare
Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities
Pictou County
Truro
Wolfville
Yarmouth

Ontario

Belleville
Clearview Township
Greater Napanee
Grimsby
Guelph
Halton Region
Hamilton
Kingston
Kitchener
Niagara Falls
North Bay
Ottawa
Perth
Prince Edward County
Quinte West
Region of Waterloo
Smiths Falls
St. Charles
Tay Valley
Waterloo
Wawa

Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown
Cornwall
Kensington
Summerside
Three Rivers

Atlantic and national municipal bodies

Atlantic Mayors Congress
Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Watch our interview with Canada’s Nobel Laureate “Godfather of AI” Dr. Geoff Hinton

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