All Guides

Every LearnLoonie guide, grouped by topic. Each one follows the same plain-language format: what it is, how it works, what it costs, newcomer notes, and the risks to watch for.

New to Canada? Plan your first-year budget Enter your own rent, groceries and pay to see what's left over each month. Open the planner

Everyday Banking

Open your first accounts, pay like a local, and stop paying monthly fees.

01 Canada’s Big Five Banks The "Big Five" are Canada's five largest banks: RBC (Royal Bank of Canada), TD (Toronto-Dominion), Scotiabank (Bank of… 4 min read 02 Chequing Accounts What is a chequing account in Canada? How it works, what it costs in 2026, who offers them,… 4 min read 03 Debit Cards & Interac How debit cards and Interac work in Canada: e-Transfer limits and fees for 2026, autodeposit, tap payments, and… 3 min read 04 Digital Banks Digital banks (also called online or branchless banks) are real banks with no physical branches. You do everything… 4 min read 05 High-Interest Savings Accounts What is a high-interest savings account in Canada? 2026 rates, how HISAs work, CDIC protection, and who offers… 3 min read

Credit & Borrowing

Build a Canadian credit score from zero and borrow without the traps.

01 Credit Cards A credit card is a short-term borrowing tool issued by a bank or financial company. Every purchase you… 4 min read 02 Lines of Credit A line of credit is a pre-approved pool of money you can borrow from, repay, and borrow from… 4 min read 03 Mortgages A mortgage is a large loan used to buy a home, secured against the property itself — meaning… 4 min read

Tax-Advantaged Accounts

TFSA, RRSP, FHSA, RESP — the account types that decide how much tax you pay.

01 TFSA A Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) is a registered account where your money grows completely free of Canadian tax.… 5 min read 02 RRSP A Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) is a tax-deferred retirement account. Contributions reduce your taxable income in the… 5 min read 03 FHSA The First Home Savings Account (FHSA), introduced in 2023, is a registered account built for one job: saving… 5 min read 04 RESP A Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) is a tax-sheltered account for saving toward a child's post-secondary education —… 4 min read 05 Non-Registered A non-registered account — sometimes called a taxable or open account — is simply a regular investment account… 4 min read

Investing

From GICs to ETFs: what you can hold inside those accounts, and where to buy it.

01 GICs What is a GIC in Canada? How guaranteed investment certificates work, October 2026 rates, redeemable vs non-redeemable, and… 3 min read 02 Stocks A stock (also called a share or equity) is a small piece of ownership in a company. When… 4 min read 03 Bonds & Fixed Income Basics A bond is an IOU — you lend money to a government or a company, and in return… 4 min read 04 ETFs An ETF (exchange-traded fund) is a basket of investments — often hundreds or thousands of stocks, bonds, or… 3 min read 05 Index Funds An index fund is a fund that doesn't try to outsmart the market — it simply copies it.… 4 min read 06 Mutual Funds A mutual fund pools money from many investors, and a professional manager decides what to buy with it… 4 min read 07 Robo-Advisors A robo-advisor is an online service that builds and manages an investment portfolio for you. You answer questions… 4 min read 08 Self-Directed Brokerages A self-directed brokerage (also called an online broker or discount broker) is an account where you buy and… 4 min read 09 Wealthsimple Wealthsimple is a Toronto-based financial technology company — founded in 2014 — that puts banking, investing, and tax… 4 min read 10 Cryptocurrency Cryptocurrency is a type of digital asset secured by cryptography and recorded on a decentralised network called a… 4 min read

Insurance

Protect your stuff and your family — what's worth paying for.

01 Tenant Insurance Tenant insurance (also called renter's insurance) is an inexpensive insurance policy for people who rent their home. Your… 4 min read 02 Life Insurance Basics Life insurance is a contract: you pay regular premiums, and if you die while the policy is active,… 4 min read

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