Financial safety
Financial abuse is common, and it's not your fault. A partner may control the money, block you from working, run up debt in your name, or leave you with nothing. Here are the practical steps, one at a time, at your pace.
What to know first
- You don't need to do this all at once. Even knowing where your account numbers are gives you more options later.
- If it's not safe to keep paper copies at home, store photos of documents in the Vault in this app.
- Money you're entitled to, like benefits and income support, is yours. Asking for it isn't charity.
Opening a bank account privately
You have the legal right in Canada to open a basic bank account in your own name, even with no job, no money to deposit, and no fixed address.
- Pick a bank or credit union your partner doesn't use, and a branch outside your usual area if you can.
- You need one or two pieces of government ID. If your partner holds yours, tell the bank you're replacing lost documents and ask what they accept.
- Ask for paperless statements and an email and phone number only you can see. A free email made on a safe device works well.
- Ask the bank not to send cards or mail to your home. Many will hold cards at the branch for pickup.
- Set your own password and security questions, with answers your partner couldn't guess.
- Most major Canadian banks and credit unions have staff trained to help people leaving abuse. Share only what you want to.
If your credit has been damaged
Debt in your name, missed payments, or accounts you never agreed to can all hurt your credit. It can be repaired.
- Ask Equifax and TransUnion for your free credit report. Go through it and note anything you don't recognize.
- Dispute accounts opened without your consent. Both agencies have a free dispute process and take your notes or any police records.
- Add a fraud alert or consumer statement to your file, so lenders must contact you before approving new credit.
- Close or freeze joint accounts and cards where you can, so no new debt gets added in your name.
- A secured credit card, backed by a small deposit, is one of the fastest ways to rebuild a score. So is paying one small bill on time every month.
- A non-profit credit counsellor can help with joint debt or collections, free and confidential, with no pressure.
Emergency financial assistance in your province
Every province and territory sets aside money for urgent situations. It can often be approved within days.
- Provincial income support and emergency assistance can help with rent, food, transportation, and replacing ID.
- You can apply as a household of one from the day you separate, even if your partner earns a good income.
- Say clearly you're leaving an unsafe home. Most provinces speed up processing and can waive the usual wait.
- Shelters and transition houses can help you apply, and often have small emergency funds of their own.
- Call 211 any hour to reach local emergency funds, food, and transportation help.
What to document before you leave
If it's safe, gather this quietly over time. Photograph what you can't take, and store it somewhere your partner can't reach, like the Vault in this app, a work computer, or with someone you trust.
- Identification: birth certificates, passports, permanent resident cards, health cards, and social insurance numbers for you and your children.
- Bank details: account numbers, branches, online banking usernames, and recent statements for every account you know of, including joint ones.
- Debt details: credit cards, lines of credit, loans, and any account with your name on it, plus balances if you can see them.
- Tax records: the last two or three years of returns and notices of assessment for both of you. These matter for support and benefits.
- Income proof: pay stubs, employment letters, and benefit statements for both of you.
- Property details: the deed or lease, mortgage statements, property tax bills, vehicle ownership, and insurance policies.
- Bills and household costs, which show what the household actually spends.
- Anything showing financial control, like messages about money, allowances, or accounts opened without you. This can matter in court.
Legal aid for money, debt, and property
Legal aid isn't only for criminal matters. In most provinces it also covers family law, including property, support, and debt.
- Apply even if you think you earn too much. Many provinces raise the income limits for people leaving family violence, and only your own income counts once you separate.
- Ask about a summary advice call or duty counsel appointment. Usually free, and available before a full application is approved.
- A family lawyer can help you claim property division, spousal support, child support, and a share of joint debt.
- If legal aid doesn't cover you, JusticeNet matches you with lawyers who charge reduced fees based on income.
- Law school clinics, community legal clinics, and provincial family justice services offer free guidance in most cities.
- Bring or photograph your financial documents for the first appointment. It saves time and money.
Benefits and income supports after leaving
Once you're separated, your household income is calculated on you alone. That often means more support than you expect.
- Tell the Canada Revenue Agency your marital status changed. Benefits are recalculated on your income only, usually the biggest single increase.
- Canada Child Benefit: monthly, tax free, and can rise significantly once you're the parent the children live with.
- GST/HST credit and the Canada Carbon Rebate, paid quarterly and recalculated when your status changes.
- Employment Insurance, including sickness and caregiving benefits, if you have recent insurable hours. You may still qualify if you left work because of your situation.
- Provincial income support or social assistance, plus child care subsidies, drug and dental coverage, and transportation help.
- Rent supplements and housing benefits, often prioritized for people leaving violence.
- Child support from the other parent is separate from all of this and doesn't reduce most benefits.
Canadian resources
Rebuilding money takes longer than most people expect, and that's normal. Start with the account, then the documents, then the benefits. Each step gives you a little more room to choose what happens next.