The role of guaranteed income in healthy aging: Canadian public pensions and their association with physical health, mental health, and health risks

The idea of government-sponsored guaranteed annual income, giving people money with little or no conditions, is popular among health and poverty advocates. We know that health and income are related, with the lowest income individuals experiencing the worst average level of health. However, there is little evidence in Canada that giving people money on a large scale improves their health. One underexplored source of evidence for this relationship is Canadian public pensions. These pensions give a guaranteed annual income of about $18,000 to individuals who satisfy eligibility criteria upon reaching age 65. Using the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging baseline and follow-up data, we will follow individuals over time as they transition onto public pensions. We will apply statistical models to this data to describe how guaranteed income influences physical and mental health outcomes across the income spectrum. We will have a special focus on individuals who can experience a real benefit.