In early 2017 Momentum reached out to over 50 community members and participants to better understand local experiences with high-cost alternative financial services. In addition to connecting with individuals through interviews, Momentum hosted community consultations in partnership with Poverty...

Many Albertans turn to high-cost alternative financial services when they need a short-term fix for a financial issue. Though these services are expensive and unsafe, they are often the only option for low-income individuals, particularly those who struggle to obtain credit at mainstream financial...

Many Canadians turn to high-cost alternative financial services when they need a short-term fix for a budgetary issue. Though these banking and credit alternatives are a convenient choice for individuals in search of fast cash, particularly those who face barriers to obtaining credit at a bank or...

This document explains the basics of group RESPs, including what they are, what they may cost, what you need to know about your group RESP if you are already enrolled in a plan, and how to figure out your...

Through the Group RESP Research and Education Project, SEED Winnipeg, Momentum (Calgary), the Legal Help Centre of Winnipeg, and an interdisciplinary research team studied the regulation of group plan RESPs and the experiences of low-income subscribers, and developed public legal education...

This is ACORN Canada's debt and high-interest lending resource portal. It contains links and resources on debt, credit, banking, and other...

Canadian investors need more and better information to protect themselves  both when they act on their own and when they retain lawyers. This handbook is intended to help Canadian investors better understand the choices they face when making a complaint and the impact of those choices. It can also...

This webinar, "High cost lending in Canada: Risks, regulations, and alternatives," is about why high cost lending products are concerning, especially for financially vulnerable Canadians. Speakers discuss what is driving the use of these products, what kind of regulations are involved, and what...

Comprehensive research on microfinance and subsidy shows that virtually all microfinance institutions are subsidized, but these subsidies are small. There are two clear paths for increasing microcredit’s impact through continued investment: » Lowering the cost of microcredit by lowering...

To give Canadians a better understanding of the impact fraud has on the marketplace, Fraud Facts 2017 provides a snapshot of the different types of scams that are currently affecting Canadians and what you can do to fight back. An informed consumer is a smart consumer and that is exactly what...

When household emergencies strike or there’s not enough in the bank to make it to the next paycheck, some families turn to small-dollar credit—small loans from alternative financial service (AFS) providers, such as payday lenders or pawnshops, or from mainstream sources.  In October 2014, the...

This paper analyzes findings from a survey by ACORN Canada of a sampling of its membership to understand why they turn to alternative financial services such as high interest payday loans. The survey finds that the majority of the 268 respondents turn to these services as a last resort because they...

Payday loans are an expensive way for consumers to borrow money. The use of these short-term, high-cost loans has more than doubled in Canada recently to four percent of Canadian households. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) has been tasked with raising public awareness about the costs...

This report provides an overview of the payday lending landscape in British Columbia compared to the rest of the country and explores the underlying factors contributing to the growth of the industry in recent years. It puts forth a series of recommendations to help ensure consumers have access to...

In 2014, the licensed Canadian payday loan industry provided nearly 4.5 million short-term loans to Canadian households, at a total value of $2.2 billion. Despite its unfavourable reputation, the licensed payday loans industry provides a necessary service for cash-strapped Canadians. Placing...

With the bulk of baby-boomers set for retirement, the financial abuse of seniors is a growing concern in British Columbia—for government, financial institutions and boomers themselves. In order to address the problem of seniors financial abuse it is generally agreed that communities must improve...

This worksheet is designed to help you identify the costs involved in buying and maintaining a home. It will also help you determine how your expenses might change once you move in. Some costs involved in buying a home, such as closing costs, happen once only, while others like mortgage payments...

When you bought your home, you probably signed a mortgage agreement that remains in effect for a certain period, called the term . When your mortgage term comes to an end, you will have to pay off your mortgage, renew it for another term or switch your mortgage to another lender. Your options are...

This is a guide from the FCAC on shopping around for a mortgage. A mortgage is a loan that is designed to help you purchase a home or other property. Home buyers make a down payment on the purchase price and then borrow the remainder from a lender. Five percent is the minimum down payment home...

Buying a home is probably the biggest financial decision you will ever make, and for most people, it requires getting a mortgage. Before you start shopping around, you need to know what you can afford. It’s important to have a realistic budget. This publication outlines three steps you can take...

All banks, and trust, loan and insurance companies and retail associations that are federally regulated (or that are incorporated at the federal level) must have a complaint-handling process in place for individuals and small businesses. This process details how a customer may make a complaint, and...

Mobile payments (m-payments) are an important aspect of mobile banking, which is a form of retail financial services that is growing rapidly around the world. Canadian consumers are increasingly migrating away from branch-based banking towards online and mobile banking. Research suggests that the...

Mortgage prepayment refers to paying more than the regular mortgage payments you have agreed to pay in your mortgage contract. If your mortgage gives you prepayment privileges, you can save thousands of dollars in interest charges by paying down your mortgage faster. However, if you have a closed...

You have choices that can help you pay off your mortgage faster and save a lot of money in interest charges. It all starts with understanding how your payment is applied to the principal and interest you owe, and the options your mortgage lender can offer...

You’ve decided to get that cell phone, credit card, or gym membership – but do you know exactly what you are getting into? Before you sign any contract, here are 10 things you need to...