Vaughan Public Library (VPL) in Vaughan, Ontario has 12 branches across the city and puts on several events and programs for residents. After the pandemic, when the library was ready to offer in-person activities again, it surveyed its members about the type of programming they were looking for.
The most common answer? Life skills workshops, and in particular, financial literacy.
Suli Sun, the Adult Services Librarian at the Pleasant Ridge Branch, reached out to a friend who worked at TD Bank to see if they knew of any financial literacy programs, and they directed her to Money Matters.
Money Matters Financial Literacy Program
Money Matters is a free introductory financial literacy program that has been delivered to Canadians since 2011 and has reached more than 100,000 adults. It was developed by ABC Life Literacy Canada in partnership with the Government of Canada and TD Bank Group and was designed by literacy practitioners.
The core program consists of six topics:
- Spending Plans
- Banking Basics
- Borrowing Money
- Ways to Save
- Smart Shopping
- Building Credit and Home Buying
Sun was very pleased with the ease of implementing the program. After visiting abcmoneymatters.ca, she signed up to host a workshop and was immediately connected with a regional coordinator from ABC Life Literacy Canada. She was then sent printed workbooks and participant surveys and assigned a TD Bank employee volunteer, who delivered the workshop.
“The website is very user-friendly, and the materials are in plain, simple language, which makes them accessible to everyone,” Sun explains. “Booking the volunteers and setting up the sessions was efficient, and we appreciated how organized and responsive the ABC team was.”
Community Impact
To date, VPL has run six workshops – four this year and two last year – across two different branches. They’ve covered Spending Plans, Ways to Save, Borrowing Money, and Smart Shopping.
The workshops drew a diverse audience, including teenagers, university students, seniors and adults. With a high population of newcomers in the city, Sun says there is a lot of demand for financial literacy support.
“Many of our clients are from different countries. They’re learning English and want to understand how to manage their finances in Canada.”
Overall, the workshops were well-received, with attendees appreciating the practical knowledge they gained. In a post-session survey conducted this year, more than 70 per cent of participants reported being “very satisfied” with the sessions. Sun highlighted that participants not only appreciated the content but were eager for more.
“Some participants wanted to review the topics we didn’t cover, so I referred them to the ABC Skills Hub to access free online courses they could do on their own.
The ABC Skills Hub is a learning portal that offers free online courses from ABC Life Literacy Canada’s many adult literacy programs, including Money Matters. Users can complete courses at their own pace, save their work in progress, and download course content and helpful reminders of what they’ve learned. They can also download certificates of completion for each course.
Looking Ahead
VPL is already looking ahead, with plans to expand its financial literacy offerings this year.
“We’re considering topics like taxes, which are also important for newcomers and residents alike,” Sun said.
The library’s central role in the community, especially at branches like Pleasant Ridge, which shares a space with the North Thornhill Community Centre, allows it to reach a broad audience—from high school students to seniors.
For VPL, financial literacy workshops aren’t just about teaching numbers—they’re about empowering people.
“These workshops provide valuable life skills, helping attendees balance budgets, save money and shop smartly. It’s knowledge everyone needs.”
To learn more about Money Matters, to access free resources, or to book a workshop for your organization, visit abcmoneymatters.ca.
