Library
Videos and publications, in plain language.
Watch short explainers and recorded sessions, or read our guides, workbooks and research briefs. Everything is written for people without a finance background.
Looking for the articles?
Ten topics and one hundred short articles. The five Basic topics are free when you register.
How money works in Canada: the 20-minute overview
Start here. This recorded workshop walks through the Canadian money system in order: chequing and savings accounts, credit, income tax, registered accounts and government benefits.
Videos
One idea per video. Most under fifteen minutes.
Your first 90 days of banking in Canada
12:40
How your credit score is built, and how to raise it
9:15
TFSA or RRSP? A side-by-side walk-through
14:02
Reading a Canadian pay stub line by line
7:30
Budgeting on a student income
8:45
CPP and OAS: choosing when to start
16:20
Needs, wants and the jar method
5:10
Filing your first tax return in Canada
11:55
Paying down debt without giving up
10:05
Your First Year With Money in Canada
A step-by-step guide for newcomers. It covers opening accounts, building credit from zero, renting, filing your first tax return and choosing between a TFSA and an RRSP.
12 short chapters, each with a checklist
A 12-month calendar of money tasks
Glossary of Canadian banking and tax terms
Publications
Guides, workbooks and research you can read in one sitting.
The Student Budget Workbook
Twenty pages of worksheets for tracking income, rent, food and loans across a school year.
2026 · 20 pages
Credit Without History
How newcomers in Ottawa build a credit file in their first two years, and where they get stuck.
2025 · 14 pages
Reading Your Pay Stub
Every line on a Canadian pay stub explained, from CPP and EI deductions to benefit premiums.
2025 · 10 pages
From Paycheque to Pension
A planning guide for the last ten working years: CPP and OAS timing, RRIFs and a simple drawdown plan.
2026 · 32 pages
Money Jars for Young Learners
Activities for ages 8 to 12 on saving, spending and sharing. Includes a teacher guide.
2026 · 24 pages
What Makes Financial Training Stick
Findings from follow-up surveys with workshop participants at three and six months.
2026 · 18 pages
Prefer a live session?
Watch a video or read a guide first, then bring your questions to a workshop.