Canadian Province to Give Residents Free Money in 'Basic Income' Experiment

Residents of the Canadian province of Ontario will soon be eligible for a "basic income" project that will provide them with a regular monthly allowance for living expenses — with no questions asked about their working status.

The idea has been around since the 1960s, reports Tech Insider and is under consideration in Finland and the Netherlands.

"We need it rolled out around Canada and Quebec, too, is in the game," said Sheila Regehr, chairwoman of the Basic Income Canada Network, the organization promoting the idea. "There's no reason why people and governments in other parts of this country need sit on the sidelines. It's time for us all to get to work."

Officials in Ontario haven't said yet when the program will start or how much each person would receive. The funds finances will come from part of the country's budget that has been set aside for the experiment.

In Finland, people would receive an extra 800 Euros, or around $900, a month, while in the Netherlands, they'll get an extra $1,000 a month, reports Tech Insider.

Jean-Yves Duclos, Canada's federal minister of families, children, and social development, formally endorsed the plan last month, reports The Globe and Mail, saying he is "personally pleased" that people are interested in the plan.

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