2012-11-09 17:00:13 -

OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 11/09/12 -- The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada : www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca/eng/index-eng.asp (FCAC) is expanding its collaboration with community organizations to encourage a wider use of its successful Financial Basics : www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca/eng/education/FinancialBasics/financialBasic .. workshop material.
"Since launching Financial Basics, we have had great success with our target audience and we have seen an increased interest from community-based organizations," said Ursula Menke : www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca/eng/about/commissioner/index-eng.asp , Commissioner of FCAC. "We realized that the workshop materials were very adaptable and we are happy that they are being used to reach a broader audience." While originally targeted to post-secondary students who may be newly responsible for their own finances, the workshop is also being used to help a wide range of people learn more about the Canadian financial system and how they can manage their personal finances.

"We hope that by working with organizations that provide training for, among others, newcomers, women in business, the unemployed or underemployed, we will be able to reach even more people who want to improve their financial knowledge," added Commissioner Menke.
FCAC is currently working with Social and Enterprise Development Innovations (SEDI), Option consommateurs, Credit Counselling Canada, University of Toronto, Ryerson University and The University of Winnipeg to provide Financial Basics workshops to their target audiences.
Several free Financial Basics : www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca/eng/education/FinancialBasics/financialBasic .. workshops will be open to the public or to students during Financial Literacy Month:

The University of                                                           
Winnipeg (students)          Winnipeg    November 10, 2012      10 AM - 2 PM
University of Toronto                                                       
(public)                  Mississauga    November 16, 2012      12 PM - 1 PM
Option consommateurs                                                        
(public)                     Montreal    November 17, 2012       9 AM - 5 PM
Ryerson University                                                          
(public)                      Toronto    November 20, 2012 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM

A full listing of workshops offered in November is available in the FLM Calendar of Events : www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca/iTools-iOutils/FLM/EventsCalendar-eng.aspx .
The workshop resources, developed in partnership with the Investor Education Fund : www.getsmarteraboutmoney.ca/en/pages/default.aspx , in collaboration with author and journalist Ellen Roseman, offer participants a hands-on learning experience on topics including managing expenses, credit and debt; protecting oneself from fraud; and saving for the future.
Since the launch of Financial Basics in 2010, FCAC has distributed 35,000 participants' handbooks and 5,000 presenter's manuals. The material has recently been updated, is available in English and French online, and can be downloaded as PDF files. Printed copies are also available upon request and free of charge.
About FCAC
With educational materials : www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca/eng/resources/publications/index-eng.asp and interactive tools : www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca/eng/resources/toolCalculator/index-eng.asp , the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada : www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca/eng/index-eng.asp (FCAC) provides objective information about financial products and services to help Canadians increase their financial knowledge and confidence in managing their personal finances. FCAC informs consumers about their rights and responsibilities : www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca/eng/consumers/rights/index-eng.asp when dealing with banks and federally regulated trust, loan and insurance companies. FCAC also makes sure that federally regulated financial institutions, payment card network operators and external complaints bodies comply with legislation and industry commitments : www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca/eng/industry/Obligation/index-eng.asp intended to protect consumers.
You can reach us through FCAC's Consumer Services Centre by calling toll-free 1-866-461-3222 (TTY: 613-947-7771 or 1-866-914-6097) or by visiting our website: itpaystoknow.gc.ca : www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca/eng/index-eng.asp?WT.mc_id=sinformercestpaya .. .
Follow @FCACan : on Twitter
Subscribe to FCACan : www.youtube.com/FCACan#p/a on YouTube
November is Financial Literacy Month
Like Financial Literacy Month in Canada : www.facebook.com/#!/FLMcanada on Facebook
Join Partnering to Turn Financial Literacy into Action : www.linkedin.com/groups/Partnering-Turn-Financial-Literacy-into- .. on LinkedIn
Disponible en francais


Contacts:

Julie Hauser

Media Relations Officer

613-941-4168
julie.hauser@fcac-acfc.gc.ca :