Help for Canadian Consumers

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) is an independent federal government body with two mandates:

• We oversee consumer protection measures as a regulator in the federally regulated financial sector.
• We also offer consumer education and financial literacy resources so that Canadians have the information and skills they need to make informed financial decisions and actively participate in the financial marketplace.

FCAC resources for Canadians

We are an excellent resource for your constituents.  We have drafted a short article about the Agency for use in your householder or on your website.

FCAC has more than 60 free publications that provide objective information and tips on financial topics that directly affect Canadians such as mortgages, credit cards, loans, dealing with debt (and debt collectors), credit reports, banking, budgeting and fraud.

FCAC’s website has an even wider range of materials, including:

• two different mortgage calculators to help people see whether they qualify for a mortgage and their options for mortgage payments
• selector tools to help them find the credit card or the bank account that best meets their needs
• a credit card payment calculator
• a budgeting tool that does the math for users
• information focusing on eight Life Events that help people looking for information to address their financial needs as their personal circumstances change. These Life Events include: Planning your Retirement, Dealing with Debt, Paying for Post-Secondary Education and Having Children.

November is Financial Literacy Month

FCAC is also the lead federal government agency responsible for financial literacy and is taking a leadership role for Financial Literacy Month (FLM) in November. Financial Literacy Month will highlight the programs, services and tools available right across the country to help Canadians strengthen their financial literacy. FCAC recently launched the FLM Web page , which lists the organizations involved and activities planned for the month.  You can “like” the event’s Facebook page FLMcanada.

How to contact FCAC

The Agency’s materials, available free of charge in English and French, can be found online. Many publications and tip sheets can be ordered in a printed format. You can reach us through FCAC’s Consumer Services Centre by calling toll-free 1‑866‑461‑3222 (TTY: 613‑947‑7771 or 1‑866‑914‑6097) or by visiting our website: itpaystoknow.gc.ca . You can also follow @FCACan on Twitter , YouTube , or LinkedIn .