Are these services really free?
Yes — to an extent. Both Credit Counseling Canada and the Canadian Association of Credit Counselling Services work with nonprofits whose aims are to improve the financial lives of those in need of assistance. While both offer free online educational tools and resources, if you want to meet with a credit counselor you may have to pay a charge. Some nonprofits offer in-person classes or schedule one-on-one sessions for free while others will charge a small fee. Other non-profits will only charge an administration fee according to how much you can afford to pay.