Statistically speaking, new immigrants and Indigenous Peoples are more likely to face financial stress. In fact, some studies suggest that as many as 15% of individuals in Aboriginal communities may not even have a bank account. For newcomers to Canada, the challenge is very different. While a high proportion of new immigrants are well-educated, many struggle to find work, thus hindering their earning capabilities. Enter ABC Life Literacy Canada.

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Many young Canadians have grown up with technology as a constant in their lives. They’ve always had the Internet at their fingertips; mobile devices and tablets always on-hand to be kept up-to-date on the latest news. For these Canadians, the rapidly changing demands of technology are expected and exciting, with the introduction of new devices promising to make everyday tasks easier and quicker.

Like many students, Jenna Martinuzzi wasn't taught how to spend wisely or budget her money in school. So, when her mother suggested she take part in a pilot program designed to teach students with various abilities about everything from how interest works to the basics of daily banking opportunities, Martinuzzi jumped at the opportunity.

Last September, schools across Quebec added a new mandatory two credit course in financial literacy to the Secondary 5 (Grade 11) curriculum for high school students. The course aims to address issues such as credit scores, loans, making a budget and signing a cell phone contract.

ABC Health Matters was created in 2016 as a way of empowering Canadians to manage their health more effectively and to increase their confidence in discussing health issues with family, friends and health care providers. With the support of AbbVie Corporation, the program has been running in Ontario in highly diversified neighbourhoods since inception.

Ambreen Sarai, Economic Reintegration Specialist for the City of Toronto is a big supporter of employability skills programming. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone with more boots on the ground than Sarai who manages, among other things, the employability programming across two busy family-based shelters in Toronto. Sarai is running the UP Skills for Work program for her clients.

On a mild Tuesday morning in late July a group of senior citizens began arriving at ASSIST Community Services Centre in downtown Edmonton. The room was set up for a workshop for 15 people, but they kept coming. After squeezing together and bringing in more chairs the workshop, Money Matters for Newcomers and New Canadians, began with 23 eager participants.

This past February, ABC’s Allison Nichol Longtin, worked with the LINC 7/8 students at Windsor Neighbourhood Learning Centre (WNLC) in Burnaby, BC to organize an outreach Coffee Chat. The event gathered together local community organizations to share information about ABC’s free literacy programs. The Burnaby event was generously co-hosted by WNLC.

Students from the highest-level LINC class, English for the Workplace, worked closely with Allison to prepare for the event. WNLC staff, Rachel and Patty, and LINC student, Elena were enthusiastic about the experience.