Guides
Eight plain-language guides to how debt relief actually works in Canada. Each one explains a mechanism — what it is, who it tends to suit, and what to weigh — and none of them predicts what will happen in your situation.
What is a consumer proposal in Canada?
What a consumer proposal is under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, who can file one, how long it runs, and what it does to your credit file.
Bankruptcy or a consumer proposal: what is the difference?
How bankruptcy and a consumer proposal differ in Canada: what you repay, how long each lasts, what happens to assets, and how each is reported.
How does a debt consolidation loan work?
What a consolidation loan does, who lenders will consider, and why a lower monthly payment can still mean paying more interest overall.
What is a debt management plan?
How non-profit credit counselling works in Canada, what a debt management plan does, what it costs, and how to tell a genuine non-profit agency.
How does debt settlement work in Canada?
What a debt settlement company does, how provincial law caps its fees, and the risks to weigh before signing anything.
What are your rights when a collection agency calls?
What collection agencies may and may not do in Canada, how the rules differ by province, and where to complain. General information, not legal advice.
How does debt relief affect your credit score?
What each debt-relief route is reported as, how long it stays on your file, and why claims that a route leaves your credit untouched are not true.
How do you build a budget when you are already behind?
A practical order of operations for a household in arrears: essentials first, then secured debt, then unsecured, plus free tools that cost nothing.