Social media users have revived debunked claims about a universal basic income bill under consideration in the Senate of Canada, saying it would take away unemployment, health and pension benefits from people who are not vaccinated. This is false; if passed the bill would only set out a framework the government could use to introduce new benefits, its sponsor said, and it does not include any conditions requiring immunization.

"Oppose Bill S-233," starts a May 17, 2023 tweet from hockey gold medalist-turned anti-vaccine advocate Theo Fleury. "Senate is about to pass the 3rd reading of this bill which will ban payments of CPP, EI, OAS to unvaxxed Canadians!!!" it warns, referencing Canada's retirement plan (CPP), employment insurance (EI) and Old Age Security pensions (OAS).

Similar claims about the bill were shared in multiple Facebook posts, including one from May 20 warning: "Bill S-233 is currently waiting for third reading in the SENATE, if passed it will be made law which means if you are not vaccinated you will not receive EI, CPP, OHS, Social Services or Pension that YOU PAID INTO."

The posts do not specifically mention Covid-19 vaccinations, but follow a wave of misinformation about the shots.

There is no reference to vaccination status in Bill S-233 (archived here), titled: "An Act to develop a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income."

Senator Kim Pate, the bill's sponsor, said the legislation was introduced into the Senate of Canada in December...

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