SOUND OFF: A healthier Kamloops starts with financial empowerment

Apr 8, 2026 | 3:17 PM

CONSIDER A SITUATION that can bring someone to the brink of homelessness: a 73-year-old widower learns he must move out of the basement suite he has rented for the past two years. He finds a studio apartment he can just barely afford on his Canada Pension Plan income, but after rent he is left with less than $80 for groceries for the month. He knows the math does not work. What he does not know is that he may qualify for benefits, tax credits or other financial supports that could help keep him housed.

For many people, this is what financial precarity looks like. It is not always dramatic at first. Sometimes it is an older adult on a fixed income. Sometimes it is a person leaving hospital, fleeing violence, living in supportive housing or trying to recover from substance use. What they often have in common is not a lack of effort, but a lack of access to information, benefits, tax-filing support and systems that are difficult to navigate without help.

That is why CMHA Kamloops is launching Pathways to Financial Empowerment, a new program designed to help people access benefits, file taxes, build financial knowledge and strengthen long-term stability.

When we talk about health and wellness, most people think first about counselling, medical care, housing, food security or addiction support. All those matter deeply. But there is another part of well-being that often goes overlooked, even though it shapes daily life in profound ways: financial empowerment. Financial empowerment is not about wealth. It is about helping people access support, build stability and gain more control over their lives while preserving dignity and independence.

At Canadian Mental Health Association Kamloops, we see every day how closely financial well-being is tied to mental health, physical health and community wellness. Financial stress can intensify anxiety, strain relationships, worsen housing instability and make it harder for people to focus on recovery. When someone is already facing poverty, substance use, chronic homelessness or other barriers, even basic administrative tasks can become overwhelming. That matters because support does exist, but it does not always reach the people who need it most.

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Prosper Canada has estimated that more than $2 billion in federal income benefits alone do not reach eligible Canadians each year, while one in five Canadians with low incomes do not file a tax return. Those figures point to a larger problem: too many people are left to navigate complex systems without the time, stability, information or support needed to access what they are entitled to receive. The barriers are often simple but decisive: no identification, no internet, no mailing address, no transportation or no confidence in completing the paperwork needed to apply.

When benefits go unclaimed, the consequences are not just personal. They are communal. People remain in crisis longer. Preventable stress builds. Community services carry greater strain. Systems end up responding to emergencies that might have been reduced through earlier support.

Financial empowerment is not separate from health promotion or community care. It is part of both. A person who files their taxes is not just completing paperwork. They may be opening the door to benefits and credits that help them afford rent, food, medication or transportation. A person who learns how to build a budget is not just tracking expenses. They may be reducing stress, increasing stability and gaining a greater sense of control. A person who receives support with debt may be taking an important step toward recovery and greater independence.

Pathways to Financial Empowerment is being delivered through Resilient Futures, Prosper Canada’s national initiative supporting community-based financial empowerment services across Canada. Through Pathways, CMHA Kamloops is expanding access to practical financial support for people who may otherwise face barriers to benefits, tax filing, financial education and long-term stability. These services are practical, but their impact can be transformative. For someone living with instability, help with taxes or benefits can mean access to income, fewer crises, a better chance of staying housed and more confidence in daily life. A healthier community is one where people can access the supports available to them.

A stronger community is one where financial stress does not become a barrier to recovery, housing or belonging. And a more compassionate community is one that recognizes financial well-being as part of whole-person wellness.

Financial empowerment is not a cure-all. But it is one of the most practical ways to reduce stress, increase stability, support recovery and help people maintain greater independence in their own lives. If we want healthier people and stronger communities, it belongs much closer to the centre of how we think about care.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.

by Brett Mineer, Manager of Communications and Engagement, CMHA Kamloops

SOUND OFF: A healthier Kamloops starts with financial empowerment

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