Ottawans give feedback on Ontario's guaranteed income pilot project

More than 100 Ottawa residentsgave their feedbackTuesday night about Ontario's plans to try a different approach to alleviating poverty withguaranteed incomes.

"We have an opportunity to right a system that is, in my opinion, quite broken," said CarissaDavis, a single motherwho attended theconsultation session on Coventry Road.

She finds the current social assistance model overly bureaucraticandmorefocusedon policing people's incomesthan empowering themto break a cycle and get out of poverty.

Davis is excited that Ontario is looking at the idea of offering individuals a basic income, set at amounts higher than what the governmentprovidesfor those on Ontario Works or disability support payments.

The concept is that if people have a secure income, and see less money clawed back, they will be able tofeed their families healthier foods and have more incentive to find work or get more education.

"I think this is such an amazing opportunity to really do something that canlift people further ahead," said Davis.

Segal report provided basis for consultation

Government officialshave been travelling the province for the last two months, asking about who should be eligible fora guaranteed income, how much money they should receive, and which communities should act as test sites.

They're working from recommendations made to the Ontario government by former Conservative senatorHugh Segal.

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He suggested Ontario provide people with a basic income of about $1,320 per month, with an extra $500 for those on disability.

Segal also suggested the idea be tested over three years in three communities a northern one with a commodities-based economy, a southern one with no major government employer, and a First Nation as well as in a neighbourhood of a big city.

"Hugh Segalpresented us with, I guess, a pretty ambitious plan," community services minister Helena Jaczek told CBC News on Tuesday.

But Jaczek said the premier and Liberal government are committed to rolling out some form ofpilot project to gather dataover three years.

Anti-poverty activists wantincrease to social assistance now

Some anti-poverty groups, however, are calling for immediate increases to Ontario Works and Ontario disability support rates.

The advocacygroup ACORN made that demand atthe outset of Ottawa's sessionon Tuesday, as other groups have atbasic income consultations in other cities.

Minister Jaczek acknowledged to CBC News that the current rates an individual on welfare receives a maximum of about $700 per month are too low.

"We know that the current system is not necessarily serving people well," said Jaczek.

"So while thisis a [basic income]pilot and we're going to wait for evidence over three years and so on, we are going ahead and making sure we're looking at the current system and going to try to improve it."

Jaczek said she will address some issuesthat have been raised in the upcoming provincial budget.

As for the basic income pilot, the public can still provide their commentsto the governmentonline until Jan. 31.

Ontario is supposed to present details of how and where it would roll out by April.