This is the 2023 report on the progress of Opportunity for All – Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS). While COVID-19 still threatens communities in Canada and around the world, the public health measures have largely been lifted. Temporary economic measures have also ended. At the...

November 26 is National Economic Abuse Awareness day.  The Canadian Centre for Women's Empowerment has published their report on the state of economic abuse in Canada; championing financially strong futures for survivors.  Here are some additional resources of potential interest: The economic...

It's never too early or too late to learn about your retirement options and plan for your future. Using the Government of Canada's newly launched Retirement Hub, find out about public pensions, when to collect them and tips to consider for your retirement income. Get started using their...

In this blog, John Stapleton breaks explains income security and personal tax systems in Canada in the simplest way...

The FCAC has updated their dashboard that present the result of two FCAC surveys: the COVID-19 Financial Well-being Survey and the Survey on Canadians' use of Bank Products and Services. The dashboard was updated in July 2023 with data collected between August 2020 and May 2023. Some indicators...

This toolkit contains resources and information which may offer support to organizations, agencies, or frontline staff supporting individuals, during a challenging time. This toolkit was developed in consultation with community partners, focusing on key issues facing their communities since the...

The Welfare in Canada reports look at the total incomes available to those relying on social assistance (often called “welfare”), taking into account tax credits and other benefits along with social assistance itself. The reports look at four different household types for each province and...

This discussion paper begins by explaining what is commonly understood as child care and how child care expenses currently enter the market basket measure (MBM) methodology. It then describes an alternative approach to account for child care expenses by incorporating them as a separate component...

Six years of data from the TIAA Institute-GFLEC Personal Finance Index (P-Fin Index) clearly demonstrate that U.S. adults with greater financial literacy tend to have better financial well-being. This report shows that retirement readiness, a specific realm of financial well-being, likewise tends...

This Financial Resilience Institute report, authored by Eloise Duncan and commissioned by FP Canada and the Institut québécois de planification financière (IQPF) is being published for everyone with a stake in the financial resilience and well-being of Canadians. This study, leveraging the...

Recent increases in the cost of living and declining real estate values had unprecedented impacts on net saving and wealth for more financially vulnerable households in the first quarter, such as those with lower incomes, less wealth, and in younger age groups. Statistics Canada has gathered data...

Generally speaking, overspending refers to spending more money than one can afford or more than was planned. Overspending can stem from various factors that may be within or outside of your control. Common causes of overspending within one's control include underestimating expenses, mismanaging...

You worry about your family's physical, mental and spiritual health. You take care of yourself and make sure you and your family are healthy, safe and happy. Many people do not realize that you also need to be financially healthy.  Financial wellness is understanding and managing your own money....

CPA Canada developed the Financial Wellness Guide to help you understand money basics. Complete the online questionnaire to get straightforward tools and information, based on your financial situation, that will help you with your financial...

The Multiplying Movement: The State of the Children’s Savings Field 2022 shares findings from Prosperity Now’s 2022 Children’s Savings Account (CSA) program survey. The report highlights the incredible growth of the field with over 4.9 million children and youth with CSAs across the US. In...

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s (FCAC) COVID-19 Financial Well-being Survey, which began in August 2020, is a nationally representative hybrid online-phone survey fielded monthly, with approximately 1,000 respondents per month. The survey collects information on Canadians’ day-to-day...

This study uses the 2022 Portrait of Canadian Society Survey to examine the impact of rising inflation on the lowest income Canadians. Using multiple pre-pandemic data sources, the study takes a closer look at people living in the bottom family income quintile, examining their family income, debt...

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 6.8% on an annual average basis in 2022, following gains of 3.4% in 2021 and of 0.7% in 2020. The increase in 2022 was a 40-year high, the largest increase since 1982 (+10.9%). Excluding energy, the annual average CPI rose 5.7% in 2022 compared...

Using data provided by provincial and territorial government sources, Welfare in Canada, 2021 describes the components of welfare incomes, how they have changed from previous years, and how they compared to low-income thresholds. Access the report here.  During the launch event, the report’s...

The forced transition from in-person to online activities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on how families and communities buy groceries, acquire medical care, and utilize social services. This rapid shift has raised important questions about how to address access and...

The ballooning cost of living has had a disproportionate impact on low-income households, 77.6% of whom are financially vulnerable or extremely financially vulnerable. Prosper Canada's recently commissioned study from the Financial Resilience Institute, shows the unarguable deteriorating state of...

This report provides a call to action for more targeted support from policymakers, financial institutions and community non profit organizations for low-income households and Canadian households who are more financially vulnerable. This is particularly important given inequities, systemic barriers...

Drive through a low-income neighborhood in virtually any American city and it quickly becomes apparent that the area’s financial health is at risk. The giveaway? The abundance of payday lenders. According to the St. Louis Federal Reserve, there are now more than 20,000 of these organizations...

How we define financial vulnerability ultimately determines what supports are created and for whom. Is the current definition aimed at helping everyone who needs it? This webinar explores the conception and redefining of financial vulnerability in Canada based on the research and findings from the...

Social prescribing is a means of connecting people to a range of community services and activities to improve their health and well-being. These services vary based on each person’s needs and interests, and can include food subsidies, transportation, fitness classes, arts and culture engagement,...