New resources launched to help financially struggling Canadians improve their financial know-how

TORONTO, June 14, 2023 /CNW/ - National charity Prosper Canada has launched the Financial Information, Literacy and Capability Project aimed at providing tailored financial information, education and counselling to people living with low and moderate incomes.  

It is designed to equip people with skills to measurably improve their financial capability and stability and support them to build savings and become informed investors. This information is often not accessible to the average person.

The intent is to help low- and moderate-income Ontarians build their financial stability through two new resources:

1. Investing with Interest  – a free resource that frontline workers and clients can use to explore ways to take money further by saving and investing. A series of worksheets in Investing with Interest help people to:

• Identify their motivation and readiness for saving and investing.
• Understand key investment concepts.
• Create an action plan and track progress.
• Know where to go for additional support. 

The design of the Investing with Interest booklet was inspired by Indigenous financial wellness expert and artist Simon Brascoupé.

       2. Making the most of your money – a free online course to help individuals and families living with low             incomes learn about money in an accessible way. The course uses plain language and includes relevant             information and resources. It is self-directed which allows people to learn at their own pace.

Prosper Canada's Financial Literacy for Facilitators course has also been updated to include information on investments and consumer protection. This course provides certification and access to a complete Financial Literacy curriculum for practitioners.

Prosper Canada received financial support from the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) to deliver financial literacy, counselling and investor protection resources to financially vulnerable Canadians.

"These new resources can help those who may have some savings — whether from contributions to a bank account or from a tax-filing refund — learn how they can use their money to further their financial goals. The Investing with Interest booklet is a helpful step to opening the door to financial well-being for those who may have felt it was not possible," Marlene Chiarotto, Vice President, Impact and Operations, Prosper Canada.

About Prosper Canada

Prosper Canada is a national charity dedicated to expanding economic opportunity for Canadians living in poverty through program and policy innovation. Prosper Canada works with government, business, and community partners to develop and promote financial policies, programs and resources that remove barriers and help more Canadians to prosper. Learn more at www.prospercanada.org

The mandate of the OSC is to provide protection to investors from unfair, improper or fraudulent practices, to foster fair, efficient and competitive capital markets and confidence in the capital markets, to foster capital formation, and to contribute to the stability of the financial system and the reduction of systemic risk. Investors are urged to check the registration of any persons or company offering an investment opportunity and to review the OSC investor materials available at http://www.osc.ca.  

SOURCE Prosper Canada

For further information: Media contact: Prosper Canada, Wendy Abbott-Serroul, Tel: 416-993-6409, Email: wabbottserroul@prospercanada.org; OSC, For Media Inquiries: media_inquiries@osc.gov.on.ca