Senator Kim Pate quietly introduced Bill S-206 last month, urging the feds to build a framework for universal basic income. The Senate bill marks the second such attempt following the COVID-19 pandemic.

"How can we actually weave a safety net that leaves no one behind?" Pate told CBC News on guaranteed income. "This bill is one strand in a social and economic fabric that would help us rebuild."

Senate bills are rarely successfully passed, as they require debate in the House of Commons before becoming law.

A similar bill she introduced in 2021 (S-233) died when Parliament was prorogued in January 2025.

On Wednesday I spoke at 2nd reading of Bill S-206 — a proposal to create a national framework for a Guaranteed Livable Basic Income (GLBI).
Too many people are struggling to meet their most basic needs. It's time for Canada to invest in a system that leaves no one behind. #GLBI pic.twitter.com/4lOweMzuHh

— Kim Pate (@KPateontheHill) June 6, 2025

The Senate of Canada defines universal basic income (UBI) as a cash transfer sufficient for necessities like food, housing, clothing, and transportation.

“Instead of mimicking existing systems like social assistance schemes that police recipients and keep people in poverty … guaranteed livable basic income would support equality, choice and dignity,” reads a prompt on the Senate website.

Following the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), Parliamentary debate on guaranteed income intensified. Bill S-206 is in its second Senate reading.

Pate's UBI concept, though in the early stages, argues its growing relevance in Canada amid trade war and AI job displacement risks. However, it lacks specific numbers and policy details, according to the state broadcaster.

According to the Fraser Institute, a Universal Basic Income (UBI) program that provided working-age Canadians $2,000 a month, would cost $464.5 billion annually.https://t.co/x2SkQLmrcR

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) October 24, 2023

The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) in a 2021 analysis on Ontario’s 2017 UBI pilot reviewed the province's 4,000 applicants who received monthly payments for up to three years. For every dollar earned, the UBI payment was reduced by 50 cents. It fell apart due to sustainability issues. 

Senator Pate suggested a federal program with a system similar to UBI, adapted for today's economy. "Let's streamline this process," she said. "Make it universally accessible to people.” 

Franco Terrazzano of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation argues that Canada can ill-afford such a program, noting that it would cost billions to implement. A PBO study estimated the gross cost of Bill S-206 implementation at $107 billion. 

Pate claims the net cost could be as low as $3 billion due to potential long-term savings in social assistance, healthcare, and the legal system, while Terrazzano argues that paying people not to work reduces the overall workforce.

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