Financial consumer protection framework

This presentation provides information about the FCAC's public awareness strategy for Canada's new Financial Consumer Protection Framework including an overview of FCAC's planned activities and resources and highlights the importance of collective action to inform Canadians. 

Additional promotional toolkits can be found on the FCAC website. 



Action-oriented public health resources on financial wellbeing and financial strain

Improving people’s financial circumstances has never been more critical. Disadvantaged population groups have experienced even higher levels of financial strain and poor financial wellbeing during the pandemic. This has negatively impacted their physical and mental health.

To support efforts to build back better and fairer communities in the wake of COVID-19, the Centre for Healthy Communities led an international collaborative, participatory, multi-method project to develop resources to support action on financial strain and financial wellbeing. These resources were designed for practitioners and decision-makers working in organizations and governments in a wide variety of sectors and jurisdictions.

This project resulted in an action-oriented Public Health Framework on Financial Wellbeing and Financial Strain and a companion Guidebook of Strategies and Indicators.

These resources are meant to support organizations and governments acting on any area related to financial strain and financial wellbeing, such as education, employment, or social safety net, to name a few. The Framework, which draws on health equity and health-in-all-policy principles, presents 17 evidence-informed high-impact areas for governments and organizations to intervene. The Guidebook offers evidence-informed targets and strategies for initiatives, as well as sample indicators for monitoring and assessment for each of those 17 entry points for action.



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.



G20/OECD INFE Core Competencies Framework on financial literacy for Adults (aged 18+)

This document describes the types of knowledge that adults aged 18 or over could benefit from, what they should be capable of doing and the behaviours that may help them to achieve financial well-being, as well as the attitudes and confidence that will support this process. It can be used to inform the development of a national strategy on financial education, improve programme design, identify gaps in provision, and create assessment, measurement and evaluation tools.



Race, Ethnicity, and the Financial Lives of Young Adults: Exploring Disparities in Financial Health Outcomes

Young adults of color, particularly those who are Black and Latinx, have borne a disproportionate share of economic hardship, as decades of systemic racism have made their communities more vulnerable to the effects of these crises. This report shares new data on the financial lives of young adults, focusing on Black and Latinx young adults, in order to inform policies, programs, and solutions that can improve financial health for all.