A Safety Net up to Task: Addressing gaps in income support for precarious self-employed and gig workers

A growing subset of self-employed workers in Canada are highly vulnerable to income shocks because of the precarious nature of their employment. Self-employed and gig workers are not covered by Canada's primary income support program for workers, Employment Insurance (EI). At the same time, their work leaves them exposed to greater risk of income shocks than Canadians in standard employment. Using a jurisdictional policy scan, expert interviews, and a multi-criteria policy analysis, this major research project explores four policies to extend income support to precarious self-employed and gig workers. It recommends updating employment standards for self-employed and gig workers and providing income support to uninsured workers through an exogenous shock program.