Financial Empowerment: Driving Success, Building the Future

November is Financial Literacy Month, a time to reflect on the transformative impact financial empowerment efforts can have on the lives of Canadians, and especially those with low incomes. Prosper Canada, alongside our key partners and Financial Empowerment Champions, is proud to lead the charge in ensuring equitable access to financial tools, services, and support.

We continue to advance and work with community partners to deliver essential financial services in diverse settings. These services have included innovative tax-filing services, benefit navigation, and financial counseling that have helped thousands secure critical income supports. 

Our partnerships extend to addressing the unique needs of underrepresented groups. As an example, we are working with SEED Winnipeg on a five-year initiative to expand financial empowerment services that are available and accessible for Black Canadians living on low incomes. This project seeks to deepen understanding, support existing efforts, and co-create strategies that promote financial health in Black communities.

Additionally, through partnerships with AFOA Canada and other organizations, we’ve developed culturally appropriate financial empowerment supports in rural First Nation communities in Manitoba and Ontario. The Building Financial Wellness in First Nation Communities initiative has paved the way for scalable models that could benefit more Indigenous communities nationwide.

To address barriers in financial coaching programs, our Embedded Financial Coaching initiative helps reduce poverty by integrating financial coaches directly into workforce development programs. Coaches guide clients through tailored interventions including budgeting, credit improvement and benefit access, empowering participants to set and achieve financial goals. To support this initiative, we’ve developed a toolkit to help workforce programs embed financial coaching into their services—a resource we aim to expand in the future.

Since 2016, our partnerships have helped over 1.2 million Canadians increase their financial health, unlocking over $1.28 billion in additional income. With the Government of Canada’s $60 million commitment to financial help services, we will expand these efforts, helping one million more Canadians access unclaimed tax and benefit income while building long-term resilience.

Together, we are shaping a future where financial stability is within reach for every Canadian.