Financial Resilience Institute

July 3, 2025 · 5 mins

New Report highlights the financial vulnerability and access-to-financial help challenges for Canadians living with Low Incomes

Financial vulnerability is a continued challenge for Canadian individuals and families living with low incomes, with more of them experiencing financial inclusion and access-to-financial help challenges compared to Canadians overall. Based on the Institute’s Seymour Financial Resilience Index and Financial Well-Being Studies, as of February 2025, approximately 19% (4.7 million) of Canadian households are living with low incomes, with increasing financial vulnerability for those with household incomes under $25,000 current cost of living crisis.

VANCOUVER, B.C. July 3, 2025/ CNW – Financial Resilience Institute, a leading authority on financial resilience and well-being in Canada and globally, announces the official launch of its latest Low-Income Report: ‘Financial Vulnerability and Access-to-Financial Help Challenges for Canadians Living with Low Incomes’ (July 2025). This is based on independent data from the Institute’s peer-reviewed Financial Resilience Index Model and Financial Well-Being Studies, which measures and tracks household financial resilience and financial well-being three times a year, along with financial help gaps and more, for Policymakers, Financial Institutions and the ecosystem. The February 2025 Financial Well-Being study has a robust sample size of 6179 adult Canadians, including a sample of 1160 Canadians living with low incomes aged 18 to 70 years old.

Our latest data and trends show that Canadians living with low incomes continue to face higher financial vulnerability and persistent gaps in accessing financial help. Nearly 1 in 5 Canadian households are living with low incomes, with many taking active steps to build financial resilience. Despite this, they continue to face systemic barriers and affordability challenges, highlighting the need for sustained, targeted support and better access to community-delivered financial help through non-profit organizations across Canada.

Based on the recent findings included in the report, the Institute’s CEO and Founder, Eloise Duncan, stated, “Canadians living with low incomes, and facing systemic barriers are working hard to maintain or improve their financial resilience, often while facing persistent barriers and limited access to the financial help and support they need. Our Index data continues to show that many are doing everything they can—but the system isn’t meeting them halfway. To truly move the dial, we need sustained and more targeted investments, policies and support for community-based financial help for Canadians that are most challenged, along with programs that prioritize the financial resilience and well-being of those who are most financially vulnerable. Our data points validates that financial inclusion and access-to-financial help gaps are more prevalent for those who are more financially vulnerable, with our Institute currently working to prove the correlation between improved financial inclusion and improved financial resilience outcomes for Policymakers and others around the world. When you link in the overall health and well-being benefits of improved financial and overall well-being, the social impact case for change is even more compelling.”

The Institute believes that the recent $60M federal funding for strengthened community- delivered financial help for low-income communities over the next five year is certaintly a great step in the right direction. However, sustained and ideally increased investment and collaboration among policymakers, financial institutions, community partners, employers and others are essential to help drive measurably impact for those who need help most.

The full report can be accessed here: Access to financial help challenges for Low-Income Canadians Report

About Financial Resilience Institute

Financial Resilience Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the financial resilience and well-being of Canadians and global citizens. It is a leading independent authority on financial resilience and financial well-being in Canada in globally.

Extensive deep-dive data and analytics are available through the Institute’s Subscriber Report and customized analytics for Policymakers, Financial Institutions and purpose-driven organizations. Proceeds are re-invested back into the impact work of the Financial Resilience Institute, enabling important independent Index analytics and reporting the non-profit’s work to help improve financial resilience, health and well-being for all.

For further information or to request an interview regarding the Financial Resilience Institute’s latest findings, please contact:

Eloise Duncan, CEO and Founder: eloise@finresilienceinstitute.org

Seymour Financial Resilience Index® is a registered trademark used under license by the Financial Resilience Society.
All rights reserved.