by Floyd Marinescu, Founder of UBI Works
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Since I started UBI Works 4 years ago, we’ve seen the Basic Income movement grow from a small grassroots community to a national network of activists with support from a majority of Canadians, and vocal champions within every major party.

This year saw Basic Income advocacy at an all-time high. Whether you joined us in person at a march, participated in our digital activist campaigns, or shared our content; you helped UBI Works become the preeminent Basic Income amplifier reaching hundreds of thousands of Canadians each month.  

We couldn’t have done it without you – Highlights of our Basic Income advocacy in 2022:

• We launched a plan for How to Pay for Basic Income that doesn’t cost working Canadians, which many of you shared to your representatives.
• We organized a new CEOs for Basic Income campaign to get Canadian business leaders to sign a letter in support. To date, we have over 150 signatories representing $1.5B/year in combined revenue and 5,300+ staff.
• We held a Basic Income March in Toronto, made possible thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers, incredible keynote speakers, and 150+ passionate basic income supporters.
• We helped launch an MPP Candidates Pledge for Basic Income during the Ontario provincial election. Our campaign received pledges in 8/10 ridings – 6 pledge signers and 9 more vocal champions were elected to Ontario’s Legislature.
• Thousands of activists joined our national campaign to email their senators and MPs urging them to support Bills S-233 and C-223 for a Guaranteed Livable Basic Income. 
• We launched activist campaigns in Atlantic Canada urging city councillors to support Basic Income. To date, Moncton, Halifax, St. John’s, and Fredericton have all passed Basic Income resolutions.
• Most recently, we launched a campaign to contact mayors and city councillors across Canada, urging them to pass resolutions in favour of Basic Income. We’ll continue to develop this campaign in the new year.

What to look forward to in 2023: 

• UBI Works is evolving! This year, we hope to better integrate with our allies across the country to more closely coordinate activities and share resources. As ever, volunteers will be critical to this effort. If you’re interested, sign up to volunteer! 
• Some of our team members have been working on a new project. You can see a preview at CommonWealth.ca - we’ll have lots more to say shortly.
• Though we don’t know timelines, we expect more movement on sister bills S-233 and C-223. With sufficient support, S-233 will be sent to Committee or the House! 
• CEOs for Basic Income will be headed to Parliament! After gathering hundreds of signatures, business leaders will be presenting their letter at Parliament to share the message that they too want to see a Basic Income.
• We’ll continue to push the federal government to respond to calls from cities across Canada for Basic Income, including in Atlantic Canada where momentum remains high.
• PEI and Alberta will head to the polls. You can bet that we’ll be helping to support local efforts to elect more Basic Income champions to provincial legislatures. 

Let’s continue pushing together so that Basic Income remains a top issue for voters and politicians in 2023 and beyond.

Happy holidays from all of us at UBI Works!

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Floyd Marinescu, Founder

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