Tashia Batstone
Summer is finally here and so is the promise of brighter days ahead. As lockdowns ease, the economy expands and many of us get busier, now is the time to ensure that we make financial wellness for all Canadians an imperative. The past 16 months have highlighted the critical need to enhance financial resilience, and this is our opportunity to look at things differently.
The pandemic has been a rich learning environment for the financial planning industry. Professional financial planners across the country rose to the occasion to help many Canadians navigate the financial uncertainty associated with the pandemic. The FP Canada 2021 Financial Stress Index found that even in the middle of the pandemic, nearly four in 10 Canadians said money was their No. 1 concern and, rather disturbingly, one in three said the stress led to health-related issues. But Canadians who worked with a professional financial planner were far less likely to cite money as their top concern or say it led to health-related issues.