Financial Empowerment

Financial Empowerment is an approach to poverty reduction that focuses on improving the financial security of people with a low income.  Financial empowerment programs include tax filing, financial literacy programs, saving and budgeting, benefits access, consumer protection and financial coaching. Visit Prosper Canada to learn more or check out this Financial Empowerment guide.

Through Bridges to Prosperity, we are working to improve access to financial empowerment programs across Niagara region.

Financial Empowerment Service Providers

• Start Me Up Niagara
• Community Care St. Catharines & Thorold
• Community Care West Niagara
• Future Black Female
• REACH Niagara
• TOES Niagara
• Links for Greener Learning
• Credit Canada, St. Catharines

Literacy and Basic Skills Service Providers

• Academic Upgrading at Niagara College
• Adult and Continuing Education at District School Board of Niagara
• Continuing Education at Niagara Catholic District School Board
• Katkwenyes at Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre
• Niagara Regional Native Centre – Literacy & Basic Skills
• Niagara Regional Learning Centre
• Niagara West Adult Learning Centre
• PC Works’ Learning Centre
• ABC Communautaire (francophone)
• Adult Upgrading Centre at Collège Boréal (francophone)

Access to Tax Services and Benefits

• Access to Benefits: Prosper Canada has created a suite of three tools to be used by organizations, families or individuals to navigate access to benefits. Access to Benefits: Suite of tools
• Benefits Wayfinder: To learn more about benefits available to you or someone you know, visit: Home – Benefits Wayfinder
• Tax Clinics and Services: Access to tax filing services is vital to ensure that people get the benefit and credit payments you’re entitled to without interruption.
• To find a free Tax Clinics near you, visit: Free tax clinics – Canada.ca or call 211 for free assistance.

Volunteers are needed to support these critical programs year-round. To become a volunteer, visit Volunteer at a free tax clinic – Canada.ca or contact us at info@workforcecollective.ca

Saving and Asset Building Opportunities

Canada Learning Bond

• The Canada Learning Bond is money the Government of Canada adds to a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) to help pay for the cost of full- or part-time studies after high school. Eligible children and youth can receive an initial payment of $500 and another $100 for every year until age 15, up to $2,000 total.
• The Canada Learning Bond can be claimed for previous eligible years even if no RESP was open during those years.
• You do not need to add any money in the RESP to receive the Canada Learning Bond.

Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP)

• The Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) is a Canada-wide registered matched savings plan specifically for people with disabilities.
• RDSP Calculator: Enhance the quality of life for a family member with a disability. By answering a few simple questions, the RDSP Calculator can help you project the estimated future value of an RDSP, and the approximate value of future withdrawal payments. Run various scenarios to see how it would affect the value of your RDSP.

Consumer Awareness and Protection

• Visit Niagara Regional Police Services website to learn more about fraud protection and common local scams.

Tools and Resources

• Do you want to feel better about your money situation? – Trove – Discover ways to improve your finances
• Prosper Canada Toolkits