TORONTO, June 23, 2020 /CNW/ - Today, Prosper Canada announced the launch of the Financial Relief Navigator (FRN), a bilingual one-stop portal where Canadians can access critical COVID-19 emergency benefits and financial relief from governments, financial institutions, utility, telecom and internet providers.

Over eight million Canadians have lost jobs or earnings to COVID-19 and are urgently seeking financial relief. For many Canadians with low incomes, COVID-19 has made their lives much worse – increasing hardship and risk. Governments and other institutions have responded with important relief measures, but many vulnerable Canadians struggle to navigate and access these successfully due to language, literacy, numeracy, digital and other barriers.  

Thanks to the generous funding and support of TD Bank Group, United Way Centraide Canada, United Way Greater Toronto, Maple Leaf Centre for Action on Food Security, and Bridgeable, Canadians can increase their income and reduce expenses during the crisis through this user-friendly resource that identifies COVID-19 benefits and relief measures they may be eligible for. The site provides clear descriptions of benefits and relief measures, including eligibility requirements and important details on how new benefits may impact existing benefits people are already receiving.

"The sheer volume of information being shared right now can feel very overwhelming for many Canadians," said Elizabeth Mulholland, CEO, Prosper Canada. "We wanted to bring all benefits and financial relief into one resource and provide critical information that is easy to navigate and understand."

The FRN will help Canadians identify ways to increase their income and reduce expenses during the crisis. The site is updated daily as new information becomes available. The FRN is available in English and French.

"We are proud to sponsor Prosper Canada through the TD Ready Commitment, our global corporate citizenship platform. The Financial Relief Navigator is a simple and intuitive tool that will help families sift through the complexities of relief measures available to find a solution that best suits them," said Andrea Barrack, Global Head of Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship, TD Bank Group.

"One of the outcomes of COVID-19 is that so many more people, some for the first time in their lives, are wrestling with financial stress while, at the same time, the supports and services are constantly evolving," said Dan Clement, President & CEO, United Way Centraide Canada. "The Financial Relief Navigator is an invaluable and easy to use tool that can help people in communities across the country navigate the financial benefits and supports available to them. We're proud to partner with Prosper Canada and its supporters. Together, we can keep our communities strong."

"The impact of COVID-19 has made life even harder for those living in poverty and put many more at risk of falling into it," said Ruth Crammond, Vice President, Community Investment and Development, United Way Greater Toronto. "While governments and institutions have stepped up with new financial benefits and relief measures, accessing them can prove challenging. In supporting the Financial Relief Navigator, we're minimizing road blocks so that individuals, families and agency case workers assisting them can tap into those critical supports quickly and easily." 

"Financial security is critical to ensuring people can meet their basic needs, including affording food for their families," said Sarah Stern, Director, Maple Leaf Centre for Action on Food Security. "Food insecurity in Canada, already a critical issue affecting over 4 million people, has escalated due to the economic impact of this pandemic. This tool will enable people to navigate a complex environment and access the critical support they need."

"We were delighted to bring a human-centred design lens to the Financial Relief Navigator, and to support Prosper Canada in their work helping Canadians navigate the many different avenues for financial relief," said Susan Bartlett, CEO, Bridgeable.