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In a recent interview with Danielle Thibaudeau from the Commissioner of Social Services’s Office at The Regional Municipality of Durham, Prosper Canada delved into the world of financial empowerment and the unique challenges faced by low-income Canadians. Danielle, Policy Advisor in the Strategic Partnerships and Priority Teams within the Social Services Department Commissioner's Office, shared her insights into the importance of financial resources, collaborations with non-profits like Prosper Canada, and the impact of the Making the Most of Your Money resource. The resource is a free online course designed to help individuals and families living with low income learn about money in an accessible way. It was developed by Prosper Canada with the generous financial support from Ontario Securities Commission and has been implemented by the Region of Durham to facilitate financial education within its community.

Douglas recently became the primary caregiver for his two boys, aged 11 and 14-years-old. Very quickly, Douglas knew that caring for two busy kids would mean looking at his finances in a different way. He wanted support with his taxes, and he had questions about saving for his sons. With all of this on his mind, Douglas googled ‘tax help’ and when he saw West Neighbourhood House pop-up in his search, he was quick to reach out.

The Financial Empowerment and Problem Solving (FEPS) program provides one-on-one financial problem-solving, tax filing assistance and financial education workshops to Ontarians with low and modest incomes and urgent financial problems.

According to the 2015 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration, Canada is home to approximately 6.8 million immigrants and a diverse population comprising over 200 ethno-cultural groups. 

Financial Literacy is a basic need for every Canadian. This November marks the fifth annual Financial Literacy Month (FLM) in Canada.FLM aims to encourage organizations from all sectors to promote financial literacy for Canadians of all ages.