PEI·NewPrince Edward Island’s social development minister says the federal government isn’t interested in funding the province’s guaranteed basic income pilot project — at least not right now. ‘If you were innovative, you could… make it happen,’ says Green MLARyan McKellop · CBC News · Posted: Nov 18, 2025 5:38 PM EST | Last Updated: 15 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 5 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Ottawa gives P.E.I. a ‘flat-out no’ on guaranteed basic income pilotPlans for a guaranteed basic income on P.E.I. have been handed a setback. The province’s social development minister says the federal government isn’t interested in funding the pilot project — at least not right now. CBC’s Wayne Thibodeau has more.Prince Edward Island’s social development minister says the federal government isn’t interested in funding the province’s guaranteed basic income pilot project — at least not right now. It’s been nearly a decade since P.E.I. MLAs unanimously supported the idea of working with the federal government to create a basic income pilot project. The idea is to guarantee a minimum amount of money in government support each month to cover the cost of basics like food, housing and clothing for Islanders who need it. During Tuesday’s question period in the provincial legislature, Green Party MLA Karla Bernard asked Social Development Minister Barb Ramsay if she would be the minister to implement this project.“I went to Ottawa two weeks ago, and I met with the minister, and it isn’t great news. This project is going to be a $244-million project annually,” Ramsay said.“At this time Ottawa isn’t interested in being part of this program. I’m going to continue to support and work with you, but I don’t have much support on the other end right now.”Bernard replied that if Ramsay truly believed it was a good idea, she would find a way to implement the program.Green MLA Karla Bernard questioned whether P.E.I.’s social development minister, Barb Ramsay, would implement the basic income guarantee program. (Legislative Assembly of P.E.I.)“If you were innovative, you could look at what we offer and make it happen,” Bernard said. She then asked Premier Rob Lantz if he has the political will to invest in a project “that would transform the lives of so many Islanders.” Ramsay responded to the question instead. “My budget right now is $214 million, this program alone would be $244 million. If I could do it, I would definitely do it.”‘We have to go at this until we have a yes’Bernard said many Islanders would support the province in securing funding for the pilot project, including some who came to watch proceedings in the legislature like Marie Burge with the P.E.I. Working Group for a Livable Income.Marie Burge with the P.E.I. Working Group for a Livable Income says her group will keep fighting until a basic income guarantee program is in place. (Rick Gibbs/CBC)Speaking with CBC News after question period, Burge said despite the news from the minister, her group is going to keep fighting. “It’s not something I rejoice about, to hear something like that, but that’s not going to stop us,” she said. �“We have to go at this until we have a yes. That’s our goal…. We want a yes. Just because you get a no once, doesn’t mean that’s the final answer. It’s not the final answer, because we’re not going to allow that to be the final answer.”Burge said she now wants to dig deeper into the costs of the program, and said the $244 million Ramsay mentioned is much higher than the group’s budget estimates.“The figure that was given today, it sounds just a little strange, but we will get some clarification of that,” Burge said.Speaking with reporters after question period, Ramsay said the $244-million figure is the latest number she’s been provided — and she said the number may have even gone up since then due to inflation. Targeted basic income program Despite the federal government not showing interest in the project right now, Burge said she has heard encouragement from people in government.Even after working on the issue for over 20 years and it being nearly 10 years since the motion passed, Burge said she still believes they’re closer to achieving the goal than before. In January, Liberal MP Sean Casey will present Parliament with a national petition that’s gathering signatures from across the country in support of a basic income guarantee.“We’re just on the verge and to me what the verge means is… maybe sometime in the next five years,” Burge said. Barb Ramsay, minister of social development and seniors, says Ottawa has no interest in contributing to P.E.I.’s basic income guarantee program as of now. (Legislative Assembly of P.E.I.)Ramsay said she was mandated to advocate for the basic income guarantee project, and will continue to do so. In the meantime, there are other programs in place to reduce costs for Islanders.That includes P.E.I.’s targeted basic income program, which serves 700 people across the Island and is available to clients of social assistance and AccessAbility, as long as they meet certain criteria. The program provides clients with top-ups to their existing benefits to bring them within 85 per cent of the market-basket measure, otherwise known as Canada’s official poverty line. Ramsay said that program costs $1.7 million, which is fully covered by the province.“It’s a program that works very well and we’re in the process now of talking about a review on that program to see if we can extend it,” she said.ABOUT THE AUTHORRyan McKellop is a graduate of the Holland College journalism program and is working as an Associate Producer and Web Writer. Got a story idea? Email ryan.mckellop@cbc.caWith files from Wayne Thibodeau
Ottawa isn’t interested in funding P.E.I.s guaranteed basic income pilot, minister says
