VANCOUVER, BC and TORONTO, June 29, 2026 /CNW/ - The Financial Resilience Institute, in partnership with FP Canada™, has released its new research and Financial Health and Resilience Index analytics demonstrating the positive relationship between financial planning and improved financial resilience outcomes for Canadians. The findings are outlined in the Institute's June 2026 report Financial Planning: A Catalyst to Improved Financial Resilience and Financial Well Being. This independent report is being publicly shared to help inform policy and expand opportunities for more Canadians to access financial planning support, with measurable impacts on their financial resilience outcomes across all household income demographics.

For stakeholders and decision makers, this report helps support advocacy and policy related to the development of federal policies designed to help low and middle-income Canadians to access an affordable first financial plan, along with follow-up support to implement and adjust it.

The Institute study provides new data confirming that Canadians who engage in financial planning, including those working with a financial planner, experience stronger financial resilience outcomes across all household income demographics.  The report builds on the Institute's July 2023 report, Financial Planning: A Pathway to Improved Financial Resilience.

The Mean Financial Resilience Score for households working with a financial planner is 62.5 as of February 2026 (with these households 'Approaching Resilience'), with this a significant 13.3 Index points higher compared to a Mean Financial Resilience Score for households not working with a financial planner of 49.2 (with these households 'Financially Vulnerable'). Overall, at the national level, households are 'Approaching Resilience' with the Canada Mean Financial Health and Resilience Score 53.34 as of February 2026.

However, based on the February 2026 Index, 74% of the population are experiencing financial vulnerability on some level with financial vulnerability spanning all household income demographics. Specifically, the latest Index data highlights a concerning increase in the household financial vulnerability of middle-income families with children under 18 years old, plus no improvement for middle-income working families without children or single parents.

"Our research and Financial Health and Resilience Index once again provide clear, independent and data-driven evidence that financial planning has a measurable and meaningful impact on Canadians' financial resilience across all household income demographics," said Eloise Duncan, CEO and Founder, Financial Resilience Institute. "Canadians who plan ahead financially, work with a financial planner and create and regularly update a financial plan achieve stronger financial resilience outcomes across all household income demographics. This includes for moderate and low-income households and underserved Canadians. By supporting initiatives to make financial planning advice, support and learnings available to more Canadians, improved financial resilience outcomes can be obtainable."

"It is concerning that so many Canadians are experiencing financial vulnerability, regardless of income level," said Tashia Batstone, President and CEO, FP Canada. "At the same time, it is encouraging to see clear evidence that advice from financial planners, such as CFP^® professionals and QAFP^® professionals, can play a meaningful role in improving financial resilience. These findings underscore the importance of expanding access to professional financial planning advice so more Canadians can build stronger financial futures."

"Through evidence-based policy, broader strategy, targeted interventions, cross-sector collaboration and more inclusive financial systems, together we can drive stronger economic and societal outcomes," said Eloise Duncan. 

For more information, please see our media backgrounder.

The full reports are linked here:

Financial Planning: A Catalyst to Improved Financial Resilience and Financial Well‑Being
February 2026 Financial Health and Resilience Index Release

About Financial Resilience Institute and the Financial Health and Resilience Index Model

Financial Resilience Institute is a non-profit organization and the leading independent authority on financial health and resilience and financial well-being in Canada.

The Institute's peer-reviewed Financial Health and Resilience Index model measures household financial resilience, defined as 'a household's ability to get through financial hardship, stressors and shocks as a result of unplanned life events.'  The financial resilience of Canadians is measured at the national, provincial, segment and individual household level across nine behavioural, sentiment and resilience indicators, with tracking three times a year since February 2023 and tracking building on the Index baseline since February 2020 (pre-pandemic). 'Extremely Vulnerable' households have a financial resilience score of 0 to 30; 'Financially Vulnerable' have a score of 30.01 to 50; 'Approaching Resilience' have a score of 50.01 to 70, and 'Financially Resilient' have a score of 70.01 to 100.

February 2026 represents the Institute's sixteenth Index release, based on the national Financial Well-Being Studies, conducted with a sample size of 5429 adult Canadians from a representative sample of the population in February 2026. This includes a sample size of 1793 households that report they are currently working with a financial planner. 

In February 2026, survey respondents were asked if their household is working with a financial planner with the Financial Resilience Institute conducting all analytics against its Financial Health and Resilience Index model.

Financial Resilience Institute's independent reports published since 2017 confirm that financial vulnerability is a mainstream issue and spotlight opportunities for evidence-based policy, interventions and support to help drive systemic change through improved financial health and resilience for Canadians overall plus more financially vulnerable and underserved populations. Learn more at finresilienceinstitute.org

About FP Canada

Established in 1995, FP Canada is a national not-for-profit education, certification and professional oversight organization working in the public interest. FP Canada is dedicated to championing better financial wellness for all Canadians by leading the advancement of professional financial planning in Canada. Learn more at fpcanada.ca.

Seymour Financial Resilience Index® is a registered trademark used under license by FP Canada and the Financial Resilience Society.
© 2026 Financial Resilience Society. All rights reserved.

SOURCE Financial Resilience Institute