Contact requests open soon. In the meantime, use the guides and the free summary.
Menu
Get started — free

DEBT HELP, ON YOUR TERMS

Debt relief options in Canada

Understand repayment, counselling and formal debt solutions.

Find my debt relief options

Get your conversation guide before sharing contact details.

Illustrative scene of a couple considering their next steps together at home.
Illustrative image
One step at a time.You don’t need all the answers to begin.
  • Free to use
  • No credit check in this form
  • No obligation

EXPLORE AT YOUR OWN PACE

Start with the pressure you’re feeling. Find a clearer next step.

Understand an option, or start with a few questions about your situation.

8 researched options

Research previews · Sources checked September 4, 2026 · Full editorial review pending

Make repayments more manageable

Start with your budget, balances and the support you need.

Repayment planning

Start with a clear picture of your balances, essential expenses and repayments.

Understand this option

Credit counselling

A counsellor can review your finances and explain debt-management choices.

Understand this option

Debt management plans

A voluntary arrangement through a counsellor to repay participating creditors over time.

Understand this option

Understand formal debt solutions

Learn what to discuss with a Licensed Insolvency Trustee.

Consumer proposals

A formal debt process administered by a Licensed Insolvency Trustee.

Understand this option

Personal bankruptcy

A formal insolvency process with duties, exemptions and exceptions.

Understand this option

Get specific guidance

Different debts and provincial processes need different questions.

CRA tax-debt help

Explore payment arrangements and the official resources for an amount owed to the CRA.

Understand this option

Student-loan repayment help

Government repayment assistance may help eligible borrowers experiencing financial difficulty.

Understand this option

Québec voluntary deposit

A Québec procedure for making payments to creditors according to its rules.

Understand this option

Not sure which path to choose?

You don’t need to know the name of a product or service. Start with what you need.

Find my debt relief options

A LITTLE MORE CLARITY

Questions you might be asking.

COMPARISON

Statement balance vs current balance: what should you pay?

Two different balances on the same account can make a simple payment feel confusing. Start with the statement date and the payment due date.

Compare the options COMPARISON

Debt snowball vs avalanche: choose a repayment order you can sustain

Once essential expenses and required payments are covered, the next question is where to put an extra dollar.

Compare the options SITUATION

Credit card cash advances in Canada: what to check first

A cash advance can look like an ordinary withdrawal, but the borrowing terms are not the same as taking cash from your own savings.

Read the guide SITUATION

Payday loan alternatives in Canada: address the gap, not just payday

Start with what the money is needed for and when the shortfall would genuinely end. That gives you a better comparison than looking only at the amount available today.

Read the guide COMPARISON

Consumer proposal vs debt consolidation in Canada

Both can be described as a simpler payment, but they are fundamentally different ways of dealing with debt.

Compare the options COMPARISON

Insolvency vs bankruptcy: what is the difference in Canada?

These words are often used as if they mean the same thing. Separating them makes a debt conversation much less confusing.

Compare the options SITUATION

Licensed Insolvency Trustees in Canada: who they are and what to ask

If formal debt options are part of your question, make sure the person responsible for that advice and process holds the relevant licence.

Read the guide REVIEW

Credit Canada review: counselling, debt plans and questions to ask

If the problem is managing existing payments, a counselling conversation is different from applying for another loan.

Read our review REVIEW

Credit Counselling Society review: services and repayment-plan questions

The Credit Counselling Society operates at nomoredebts.org. A distinctive web address is worth noting when several similarly named debt services appear in search.

Read our review REVIEW

Consolidated Credit Canada review: counselling, not a consolidation loan

The word “consolidated” can sound like borrowing. In this case, the organization’s own description makes a different distinction.

Read our review REVIEW

Debt.ca review: debt information and a provider-introduction service

A debt-help website and the professional responsible for a debt agreement can be different organizations. Debt.ca’s own disclosure makes that distinction important.

Read our review COMPARISON

Credit Canada vs Credit Counselling Society: compare the counselling conversation

Both organizations describe free counselling. The useful comparison is what each would propose for the same debt and household budget.

Compare the options
Browse all related articles

Editorial approval pending.

General information, not personal advice.