Implementing basic income will make people less motivated to work:

During the Manitoba Mincome experiment, only two groups of individuals reduced the amount they worked, unattached males and new mothers. Both of these groups reduced the amount of time they work to attend / complete high school and spend more time with their newborns, respectively. All other employment rates remained very similar to rates before the program. 

 

Basic income will cost too much:

Funding a basic income program is possible through restructuring our personal income tax system and eliminating some social assistance programs for Canadians. Eliminating programs will vary depending on what jurisdiction the program falls into (provincial, territorial, or federal). Programs like the GST Credit which is targeted towards low-income Canadians could be eliminated. We also need to think of basic income as an investment rather than a burden. When we think about it like this, we can start helping others in Canada. 

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Basic Income will not help reduce the poverty rates in Canada:

Implementing basic income in Canada could cut poverty rates by half across the

country and by over 60% in Manitoba. That data was released by the

Parliamentary Budget Officer, an independent and nonpartisan officer of

Parliament. 

 

Many supporters of basic income, including myself, note that the purpose of

basic income is not to reduce the poverty rate but to ensure that people are

able to live a dignified life. 

 

Basic Income will mean that people will leave low-paying essential jobs:

If individuals decide to leave a low-paying essential job they are doing it because their employers have not fairly compensated them or working conditions are not suitable for the individual. Basic income will allow the employee to work at a company where they feel valued for their work. Basic income gives people the opportunity to not make those decisions under duress.

 

People in Canada who received CERB already got a basic income:

The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) was not a basic income as it required individuals to make a minimum of $5000 the year prior. Individuals, many of whom are vulnerable members of society, who hadn’t made that amount were ineligible to receive the benefit. Expanding the eligibility to allow anyone to receive CERB would have been an easy change for the federal government to make.