The concept of a universal basic income in Canada has earned more attention over the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).
According to a new survey by the Angus Reid Institute, 59% of Canadians support proposals for universal basic income programs at $10,000, $20,000 and $30,000 annual income.
The highest amount of support comes from Quebec (66%) and the Atlantic provinces (65%), while the lowest level of support comes from Alberta (42%), the only province with more support against a universal basic income program than for one.
Both Liberal (78%) and NDP (84%) voters are overwhelmingly in favour of basic income.
Conservative support for the program is roughly one in four, at 26%.
While the majority of Canadians (61%) believe the wealthiest in the country should fund the universal basic income program, only a quarter (24%) of those with the highest income would actually be willing to pay more taxes to fund it.
The respondents were also divided about whether Canada could actually afford to implement a basic income for its citizens, and whether or not it would disincentivize people to work. »