Curated by Quang
Canadian Money Resources
The books, podcasts, tools, and government links I actually recommend to my own family. No affiliate links, no paid placements — yet.
If you only have time for one resource on any topic, the one I’d send you to is in bold. The rest are deeper rabbit holes worth your time if the topic matters to you.
Government & Authoritative
Trust these first. They’re free and the numbers are real.
CRA My Account
The single most useful tool the Canadian government offers. Tracks your TFSA room, refund status, benefit eligibility, tax slips. Register on day one.
Financial Consumer Agency of Canada — Financial Toolkit
Free 14-module course covering banking, credit, fraud, insurance, retirement. Plain-language official Canadian education.
IRCC — Managing Your Money in Canada
The official newcomer financial onboarding guide. Less polished than this site, but it’s the source of truth on what services exist.
CDIC — Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation
Look up which Canadian banks are CDIC-insured and what the per-category limit covers. Calmer-than-headlines reassurance during banking news.
Tools I Actually Use
Apps and websites that have earned a permanent spot on my phone.
Borrowell or Credit Karma Canada
Both pull your Canadian credit score for free. Borrowell uses Equifax; Credit Karma uses TransUnion. Check both — your scores can differ by 50+ points.
Wise (formerly TransferWise)
The cheapest way to send money to/from Canada. Real exchange rate plus a small transparent fee. Typically 5-10× cheaper than a bank wire.
EQ Bank
High-interest savings account with no monthly fees, CDIC-insured, free international transfers. My go-to “park-the-emergency-fund” account.
Wealthsimple
The simplest place to open a TFSA, RRSP, or FHSA and start investing in low-cost ETFs. Free trades; managed (robo) option for hands-off.
Wealthsimple Tax
Free Canadian tax filing software. NETFILE-certified. Auto-imports your CRA slips. My choice for personal returns under $50K income.
Willful
Online Canadian will-writing platform. About $99 for a single will. A free will (or this one) is better than no will. Use a lawyer for complex blended families or trusts.
Canadian Personal Finance Books
If you read one book on Canadian money, make it the first one.
The Wealthy Barber Returns — David Chilton
The plain-language Canadian personal-finance classic. Written like a conversation. If your parents read English and want one money book, this is it.
Beat the Bank — Larry Bates
The book that finally explained why bank mutual funds are a bad deal in Canada. Short, practical, will save the average reader $200K over their lifetime.
Retirement Income for Life — Frederick Vettese
If you’re 45+ and trying to figure out CPP/OAS/RRSP withdrawal strategy. Math-heavy in the best way.
The Psychology of Money — Morgan Housel
Not Canadian-specific but worth it. Best book on the EMOTIONAL side of money I’ve ever read. Read it slowly.
Podcasts
For the commute, the kitchen, the walk.
The Canadian Investor Podcast
Two Canadians discussing Canadian stocks, ETFs, and the Canadian economic news that actually matters. Less hype than US finance podcasts.
Money Feels — Jamie Feldman & Brittany Cristerna
The emotional side of money — relationships, family, shame, decisions. Especially good for anyone whose parents were tight with money.
Adulting With Canada
The kind of episodes I wish my friends had when they landed. Cheaper Canada, taxes for newcomers, building credit. Not perfect production, but useful content.
Free Tax Help
If your household income is modest, real human tax help exists for free.
Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP)
Free tax filing by trained volunteers for households with modest income and simple tax situations. Find a clinic near you via the CRA link.
Quebec equivalent: SAEPF
If you’re in Quebec, search for “Service d’aide en impôt – Programme des bénévoles”. Same idea, run jointly with Revenu Québec.
rel="sponsored" and call it out on each item. My recommendations don’t change based on whether I earn anything. Anything I genuinely don’t use, I won’t list here. Full affiliate disclosure.