Income in retirement: Expectations versus reality

In 2014, a group of non-retired Canadians aged 55 or older was asked about their financial expectations for retirement. New data from 2020 reveal how this same group of Canadians - now retired- is doing financially. 



Banking for newcomers to Canada

Banks offer extensive information on how newcomers to Canada can get started in their new country, including checklists, information, financial services and advice. Here is some basic information to get you started. A list of bank resources at the end of this article may also help with the financial transition to Canada.



Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 10, Reduced Inequalities

An infographic from Statistics Canada highlighting the advances made in reaching Goal 10, reducing inequalities, of the sustainable development goals. 



Cyber security checklist

Getting cyber safe doesn't have to be complicated. With the right resources and tools, you can stay safe and secure online. Here's a handy checklist for protecting your data online.



By the numbers: Black History Month 2022

Black History Month is an opportunity to highlight the contributions and accomplishments of Black Canadians and their communities. These Statistic Canada findings provide a brief overview of personal education, contributions to the scientific community, proportions in the front line staff, and general outlook on life opportunities.



Economic Abuse: Coercive Control Tactics in Intimate Relationships

This infographic explores 3 forms of economic abuse and associated tactics used to coercively control intimate partners.

These abusive tactics are compounded by economic systems that systemically oppress groups including Black, Indigenous, and people of colour; people with disabilities; people with precarious immigration status; and gender-oppressed people.

Economic abuse consists of behaviours to control, exploit, and sabotage an individual’s resources. It limits the individual’s independence and autonomy.

Compared to financial abuse which usually only focuses on money, economic abuse includes a more expansive range of behaviour that affects things like employment, food, medicine, and housing. 

Economic abuse is often used to coercively control individuals, such as intimate partners. It occurs in conjunction with further forms of abuse, like physical and sexual violence. Economic abuse can make it more difficult for survivors to escape violence since they may not have the resources to secure long-term housing and employment while meeting basic needs for themselves and potentially their children.



FCAC new consumer information – electronic alerts

Le français suit l’anglais.

As of June 30, 2022, banks will be required to send electronic alerts to their customers to help them manage their finances and avoid unnecessary fees.  Some banks have already started sending these alerts to their customers.  The electronic alerts are part of the new and enhanced protections in Canada’s Financial Consumer Protection Framework (the Framework) that comes into effect on June 30, 2022.

To inform Canadians about electronic alerts and their benefits, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) published new consumer information on electronic alerts, developed an infographic, and prepared social media content that you can use on your own social media channels.

Under the Framework, banks will be required to:

  • disclose key information to help their customers make timely and informed decisions
  • provide customers with more timely complaint-handling services
  • offer and sell products or services to customers that are appropriate for their circumstances
  • respect new rules to avoid misleading customers or applying undue pressure on customers when selling them products and service

À compter du 30 juin 2022, les banques seront tenues d’envoyer des alertes électroniques à leurs clients afin de les aider à gérer leurs finances et à éviter de payer inutilement des frais, ce que certaines ont déjà commencé à faire. Ces alertes font partie des mesures de protection nouvelles ou améliorées prévues dans le Cadre de protection des consommateurs de produits et services financiers du Canada (le Cadre) qui entre en vigueur le 30 juin 2022. 

Pour informer les Canadiens et les Canadiennes à propos des alertes électroniques et de leurs avantages, l’Agence de la consommation en matière financière du Canada (ACFC) a publié de nouveaux renseignements à ce sujet pour les consommateurs. Elle a également créé une infographie et préparé du contenu pour les réseaux sociaux que vous pouvez utiliser dans vos propres comptes de médias sociaux.  

En vertu des dispositions du Cadre, les banques seront tenues :  

  • de communiquer aux consommateurs des renseignements importants pour les aider à prendre des décisions éclairées en temps opportun;
  • de fournir à leurs clients des services plus rapides de traitement des plaintes;
  • de veiller à ce que les produits et services qu’elles offrent ou vendent à leurs clients leur conviennent, compte tenu de leur situation;
  • de respecter de nouvelles règles de protection des consommateurs afin d’éviter de leur fournir des renseignements trompeurs ou d’exercer des pressions indues sur eux lorsqu’elles leur offrent ou leur vendent des produits et services.



Canada’s Charities & Nonprofits

This infographic shows the size, scope, and economic contribution of charities and nonprofits across Canada.



Emerging Technology for All: Conversational AI’s Pivotal Role

This infographic is a preview of Commonwealth's research survey of 1290 lower-and moderate-income people to understand their perceptions, needs, and uses of conversational AI. 

How are Canadians with long-term conditions and disabilities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?

This infographic focuses on self-reported health, unmet needs for services and therapies, and difficulties meeting certain financial obligations and essential needs since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic among participants aged 15 and older living with long-term conditions and disabilities. Results are based on the recent Statistics Canada crowdsourcing data collection completed by over 13,000 Canadians with long-term conditions or disabilities between June 23 and July 6, 2020.



Growing up in a lower-income family can have lasting effects

The infographic "Intergenerational income mobility: The lasting effects of growing up in a lower-income family" based on the article "Exploration of the role of education in intergenerational income mobility in Canada: Evidence from the Longitudinal and International Study of Adults," published in the Canadian Public Policy journal presents the effects of growing up in a lower-income family based on a longitudinal study of a cohort of Canadians born between 1963 and 1979.



Infographic: COVID-19 and the labour market in June 2020

This infographic displays information on the Canadian labour market in June 2020 as a result of COVID-19.



Infographic: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadian families and children

This infographic describes parents' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic including balancing work and schooling, their children's activities and parents' concerns.



Infographic: An overview of Canadian financial programs for people with disabilities

One in five Canadians are currently living with a disability. This infographic provides an overview of financial programs for people with disabilities in Canada based on findings in Morris et al. (2018) "A demographic, employment and income profile of Canadians with disabilities aged 15 years and over, 2017". 



Virtual tax filing: Piloting a new way to file taxes for homebound seniors

WoodGreen Community Services, a large multi-service frontline social service agency in Toronto, provides free tax preparation services year-round to people living on low incomes. WoodGreen was interested in designing a novel solution to address the tax filing needs of homebound seniors who are unable to access WoodGreen’s free in-person tax-preparation services due to physical or mental health challenges. Specifically, WoodGreen wanted to know… How might we provide high-quality professional tax preparation services to all clients whether or not they are onsite? Prosper Canada and a leading commercial tax preparation software company partnered with WoodGreen Community Services in order to answer this design question.



Supported Self-File: Piloting a new way to empower individuals to file taxes independently

Many frontline community organizations provide free tax preparation services to people living on low incomes across Canada using a variety of methods. However, when COVID-19 struck, a large majority of agencies offering free tax-filing supports were forced to close their doors and halt in-person services. Non-profit organizations, EBO (Ottawa) and WoodGreen Community Services (Toronto) with a long-standing history of delivering tax-filing supports, needed to explore alternative models that catered to the different needs of their clientele.

Prosper Canada and Intuit, a leading commercial tax preparation software company, partnered with WoodGreen and EBO, in order to answer this design question.

These journey maps describe the process of this service flow, from intake to client sessions and post-session activities.