Canada, along with the entire world, is dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Our job at Credit Canada is to help guide Canadians through this financial turmoil and provide next steps to take right now as we prepare ourselves for the financial impact of this crisis.
Free Financial Advice for COVID-19
Although most of us are practicing social distancing and physical distancing right now, in some ways, the crisis has brought us closer together as we look for ways to help one another deal with the ripple effects, whether they’re related to health, finances, jobs, supplies, education, and more. At Credit Canada, we’re taking action by offering our support through a variety of initiatives. Here are three ways our not-for-profit agency is trying to bring information, and some comfort, to our fellow Canadians during these trying times.
Free Phone Consultations
While we love meeting with clients face-to-face, Credit Canada values the health of our clients, employees, and all Canadians. For those struggling financially or who don't know what to do next, we offer free over-the-phone counselling sessions to help keep you in-the-know with the most up to date information about what the government is doing to provide support.
Our certified Credit Counsellors are "Financial First Responders” which means they're also current on what creditors are doing to ease the burden of debt for their customers. They can also provide tips on how to approach your creditors and understanding their relief offers. As always, our Counsellors are also available to provide free financial advice and tips for managing your money, including following a budget and keeping track of your expenses. If you'd like to book a free counselling session with one our Credit Counsellors, you can call 1.800.267.2272.
COVID-19 Financial Resource Centre
There is a lot of information about COVID-19 on the internet – and not all of it accurate. While we’ll be leaving matters of health to healthcare professionals and outlets, such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Credit Canada has created a COVID-19 Financial Resource Centre where you can find valuable information regarding financial matters during this crisis.
We’re pulling together information based on reputable and trustworthy sites, such as the Government of Canada, along with press releases and other updates from creditors, mortgage companies, utility services, and others regarding debt relief measures they're taking to protect those directly impacted by COVID-19. The Resource Centre is also being updated regularly with new tools and information, so you only have to make one stop online when it comes to money matters.
The COVID-19 Financial Resource Centre also features original content from Credit Canada, such as our blog on How to Deal with the Financial Shock of Coronavirus. You’ll also find previously available resources that are now more timely than ever, such as The Survival Guide for Tough Times, Surviving a Layoff, and our handy Budget Planner + Expense Tracker which can help you determine how much income you'll need in the coming months to stay afloat and keep up with your financial obligations. (The Budget Planner portion can be especially helpful when explaining the financial difficulties you are currently facing due to COVID-19 to your creditors.)
COVID-19 & Your Finances: Take Action Webinar Series
Hearing from a financial expert can help put you at ease and prepare you for the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic. That’s just what our new Take Action webinar series is designed to do! Hosted by the amazing education facilitators from our very own Education Department, the webinar series covers ways to manage your finances in the wake of COVID-19.
For example, the first webinar in this series focused on dealing with creditors, how to deal with financial matters during a crisis, and where you can find free help.
Future webinars in the series will cover:
- How to create temporary financial agreements with creditors
- Prioritizing your expenses
- Making (or skipping) mortgage or credit card payments and what that means
- Cutting fixed and variable costs
- And more...
Each webinar is approximately 30-minutes, including a 15-minute Q&A session following the presentation, allowing participants to ask their most pressing questions. With many people working from home or simply opting to stay home, this series provides a 30-minute educational break that may help give you a financial break, too!
You can attend the live webinars, or you can watch them on-demand, for free, by visiting the Resource Centre.
Credit Canada is here to help
This is a difficult time in our country and our world’s history. We feel it’s important to know that no matter how bleak things may be, it will get better. We’re in this together, and together we’ll get through this. Stay safe and be healthy!
