The Saving Circle (SC) Program supports low-income individuals and families as they save for needed assets including:

• Furniture
• Medical expenses
• Computer
• Education
• Small business start up or expansion
• Other household necessities.

Participants in the SC Program open special matched savings accounts and their savings are matched 3:1 by IRCOM up to a specified limit. Participants have up to six (6) months to save toward their asset goals.

The Individual Development Account (IDA) Program supports low-income individuals and families as they save toward:

• Renovating a home
• Their own or spouse’s education
• Children’s education
• Starting or expanding a small business
• Disability supports.

Participants in the IDA Program open special matched savings accounts and their savings are matched 2:1 by IRCOM up to a specified limit. Participants have up to one (1) year to save toward their asset goals.

Many newcomers with a refugee background owe the government of Canada transportation loans that run as high as $10,000. The Immigration Loan Repayment Program aims to provide these newcomers with a family-centered money management training and matching funds to support them and reduce their transportation loan debt.

• Family-based Financial Literacy group sessions
• Loan repayment problem-solving support
• Matched loan repayment funds
• One-on-one support

For more information on Transportation Loans and to get involved in advocacy around the issue, visit the Canadian Council for Refugees website.

The Access to Benefit Program aims to provide low-income community members who face significant barriers to financial inclusion with enhanced financial stability and asset building opportunities by providing equitable access to government income support programs and financial services through a financial empowerment approach.

The program activities include:

• Completing the paperwork and navigating the bureaucratic systems required to accessing government benefits such as income tax refunds, the Canada Child Tax Benefit, the GST Credit, the Disability Tax Credit and others.
• Providing support in obtaining the ID required to access government entitlements, financial services and other benefits.
• Supporting clients in accessing saving and asset building opportunities such as the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP), the Canada Learning Bond and RESPs.
• Helping clients set financial goals through individualized financial literacy sessions.
• Providing problem solving support