CMHA Kelowna

Supporting a Mentally Healthy Kelowna

  • Mental Health
    • Find Help Now
    • Learn About Mental Illnesses
    • Explore Your Mental Health
    • Talking to Teens About Mental Health
    • Supporting a Friend or Family Member
    • Workplace Mental Health
    • Preventing Suicide
  • Programs & Services
    • Youth & Families
      • Foundry Kelowna
      • Foundry Kelowna’s Wellness on Wheels
      • Youth Housing & Services
    • Housing
      • CMHA Kelowna Housing
      • Youth Housing & Services
      • Central Okanagan Rent Bank
      • Rent Supplements
      • Case Management
      • Homelessness Outreach Navigator
      • Scattered Sites Program
    • Wellness
    • Virtual Counselling Services
  • Education and Training
  • Ways to Get Involved
    • Donate
    • Events
    • Host or Sponsor an Event
    • The Payton & Dillon Budd Memorial Ride
    • Mentally Healthy Workplace Awards
    • Artists Among Us
    • Volunteer
  • Discovery College
  • About Us

Home » News » Now is the time for universal basic income

Now is the time for universal basic income

September 16, 2020 By Jessica Samuels Leave a Comment

When the covid-19 pandemic caused sudden and unprecedented job loss, Canada moved swiftly. The covid-19 economic recovery plan – of which the CERB is a part – provided temporary income support to workers who lost jobs due to the pandemic. In the process, it may have changed the way we think about income, job loss and poverty.

Canadians are now asking themselves, and their leaders: What if everyone had enough to live, all the time?

Enter an idea that has been circulating for a long time: the Universal Basic Income.

Here’s what it is:

The idea of a Universal Basic Income is to provide a no strings attached payment to all Canadians of working age to cover their basic needs. It would be a minimum income provided to everyone, rich or poor, employed or not, and funded by our progressive tax system.

The Canadian Mental Health Association has taken a position in support of the creation of this benefit. Here’s why:

Poverty has long been shown to negatively affect mental health. With a Universal Basic Income, poverty essentially disappears, and with it, the mental health effects of being poor. At the same time, having an adequate income actually protects health — both mental health and physical health – and increases our quality of life. Not surprisingly, health-care costs would be expected to plummet and so, too, would hospitalizations related to mental health.

There is a big mental health case to be made for this old idea, and CMHAs across the country are making it. Maybe it’s an idea whose time has come. You can read the CMHA’s statement calling for a Universal Basic Income here.

*This article originally appeared on the CMHA National website

Filed Under: News Tagged With: CMHA Kelowna, CMHA National, mental health, UBI, Universal Basic Income

More Recent News

News
January 18, 2021

Blue Monday – Myth or Fact?

Is Blue Monday really the most depressing day of the year? Not scientifically speaking, no. It was actually a marketing strategy created to encourage people to go on vacation in January.   What is very real, however, is Seasonal Affective Disorder, and so are the “winter blues.”   As days get shorter, darker, and colder, it’s quite common to notice a shift in mood. In Canada, [...]

Read more
woman with long hair and a winter coat standing outside as it snows heavily
News
January 4, 2021

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Have you ever noticed how different you feel when the sun is shining on your face? How about when it’s rainy and dreary here in BC? How do you feel then? Everyone’s mood can be affected by the weather. It dictates what we wear, when we travel and what activities we choose to do. But [...]

Read more
News
December 2, 2020

BC Rent Bank Announces Five New Rent Banks to Offer More Housing Stability Options to Renters

Metro Vancouver (3), Central Okanagan (1) and Nanaimo Region (1) Coast Salish Territories | December 2, 2020 Renters in low- to moderate-income households in Burnaby, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Central Okanagan (including Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland), and the Nanaimo Region (Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum Beach and Lantzville) have access to brand new rent banks [...]

Read more

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

WHO WE ARE

ABOUT CMHA KELOWNA
MISSION VISION & VALUES
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OUR TEAM


WHAT WE DO

REPORTS & IMPACT
LATEST NEWS
NEWSLETTER
COMPLAINTS


GET INVOLVED

CAREERS
EVENTS
GET INVOLVED
MEDIA LIBRARY


CONTACT

CMHA Kelowna
504 Sutherland Avenue, Kelowna, BC. V1Y 5X1
Phone: 250-861-3644
Fax: 250-763-4827
E-mail: [email protected]


contact us | resources | privacy | site map

The Standards Program Trustmark is a mark of Imagine Canada used under licence by Canadian Mental Health Association - Kelowna Branch.
CMHA Kelowna Charitable #: 10686 3392 RR0001
Copyright © 2021 Canadian Mental Health Association, Kelowna