STORIES FROM BASIC INCOME RECIPIENTS

Humans of Basic Income

Jessie Golem is a Hamilton-based photographer who produced a photo series called Humans of Basic Income in 2018 to amplify the stories of the recipients of the prematurely cancelled Basic Income Pilot Project in Ontario.

“Basic Income was helping me, as a single parent, to recover & rebuild myself as a professional artisan after a business closure, a serious injury with you U.I. benefits & low wage employment. It was my last lifeline of hope & security for a better future.”

“The Basic Income Program helped us move to a better apartment in a safer neighbourhood and feel financially secure enough to go back to school and get a better job.”

“Basic Income means I can pay my guide dog’s medical bills. ODSP does not have a drug plan for service animals – $250 a month for medications – never mind vet costs. The option was to give her back and the school would adopt her but BIPP (Basic Income Pilot Project) has allowed me to keep her and my independence.”

“Basic Income has helped me achieve my goal at graduating from college. It has helped by going through school with a lot less stress. I am achieving my goals for success. I am very thankful and grateful for the Basic Income project.
Meegwetch.”

“B.I. (Basic Income) was helping me cover expenses for a chronic health condition, find a place to live, and get a used vehicle so that I can focus once more on bringing my skills and passion back to the world. “

“I am Joshua D. Hewitt, founder of Stand Up Clean Up, and a recovering addict… I am just one voice of many in danger, unheard.
OBIP (Ontario Basic Income Project) has helped me to escape homelessness, poverty and has empowered me on my road to recovery in profound ways. Its helped me to have confidence in myself and my ability to create change. It has helped me to:

Pay all my debts
Improve my community
move from bedroom to apartment
remember I’m human
re-establish my credit
eat healthy and get gym memberships
love myself!!”

Living Below the Line Project

In 2018, a member of Basic Income Waterloo Region (BIWR), Cathy Martin, attended a community-engaged theatre production that had been facilitated and written by playwright, Catherine Frid, and produced by Watercourse Theatre. Cathy was inspired by this experience to suggest that BIWR speak with Catherine Frid about a possible project in Waterloo Region involving individuals with lived experience of poverty. Catherine was interested, and together Watercourse Theatre and BIWR brought together a support group for the project that included the YWCA Kitchener Waterloo, Social Development Centre Waterloo Region, Mennonite Central Committee Ontario, Alliance Against Poverty, Awareness of Low Income Voices (ALIVE), Manulife Centre for Community Health Research at Laurier University, the Working Centre, Waterloo Age Friendly Network, Watercourse Theatre and BIWR.

The project was funded by grants from the Catherine Donnelly Foundation, Ontario Arts Council, and Pat the Dog Theatre Creation. The Covid pandemic required that the project be postponed, but eventually it was possible to recruit sufficient residents of Waterloo Region who were living with poverty and who wished to be co-creators of the new play; the process of co-creating the play began in February 2022, and in June 2022, “Living Below the Line” was performed in five venues within the Region. In the months following, the play was performed in several more venues within the Region and beyond.

The responses from the live audiences were overwhelmingly positive. We are pleased to report that the play has now been made into a film, and it is available to be shown to the public. Funding for the filming came from the Region of Waterloo Upstream Fund. For more information see: https://livingbelowtheline.ca