A new resource to help Canadians make sense of the everyday financial questions that they face was given an official launch Tuesday in Ottawa.

Designed by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC), the Investor Education Fund (IEF) and l’Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), Your Financial Toolkit aims to help Canadians become more capable and confident financial consumers.

“In simple, non-technical language, Your Financial Toolkit covers the basic financial topics that most Canadians have to deal with everyday,” said Ursula Menke, FCAC xommissioner.

“It touches upon everything from banking, budgeting and saving to debt management, fraud protection and retirement planning; providing Canadians with an opportunity to practice new financial skills and apply the information to their own situation,” she added.

The resource is divided into 11 modules and includes worksheets, quizzes, questionnaires, tools, calculators, educational videos and case studies that give Canadians the option of completing the whole program or to easily select the topics in which they are the most interested. They can also use its self-assessment tool to find modules and tools that are useful for them based on their situation and needs.

Each module includes a trainer’s toolkit which contains activities that can be completed in a workshop setting. This makes it a useful resource for teachers and facilitators who work in community organizations, educational institutions, or for employers who wish to provide financial training to their employees.

“Your Financial Toolkit was developed in collaboration with a variety of financial education experts across the country,” said Camille Beaudoin, director of financial education at the AMF. “Among these experts, many work with consumers on a day-to-day basis and therefore, they are well aware of their informational needs and preferences to gain further knowledge on how to better manage their finances,” he added.

Your Financial Toolkit is available free of charge online or in paper format. A printed copy may be ordered by contacting FCAC directly.