Credit Counselling Society

What Credit Counselling Society does

Credit Counselling Society (CCS) is a Canadian registered non-profit charity founded in 1996 and headquartered in New Westminster, BC, that delivers credit counselling, debt management, and financial education services to individual Canadians struggling with debt. Its core product suite includes free credit counselling sessions, a fee-based Debt Management Program (DMP) with capped monthly administration fees on a sliding scale up to $125/month, debt settlement negotiation, consumer proposal guidance, and bankruptcy help, supported by an online Learning Hub, interactive debt quiz assessment tools, and a Financial Wellness at Work program for employers. Service delivery is multichannel: toll-free phone (1-888-527-8999), in-person appointments at offices across BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, WhatsApp messaging, online chat, and a secure client portal at clientaccount.nomoredebts.org.

The organization operates under a non-profit revenue model where over 70% of funding comes from donations by the credit-granting community in recognition of CCS's impartial counselling role, with the remainder generated by DMP administration fees and ancillary services. The operating technology is described as a "service-based non-profit organization using standardized credit counselling methodologies and debt management program frameworks developed over 29 years of operation," with no disclosed proprietary AI, API, or SDK products. CCS holds multiple industry accreditations — Credit Counselling Canada, Better Business Bureau, NFCC international affiliate status, and AFCPE-certified counsellors — and is governed by a volunteer board. Reported scale metrics include over one million Canadians served cumulatively, over $700 million in debt repaid through programs, 60,000+ people helped annually, 11% YoY growth in clients seeking help in November 2025, and 98% client recommendation rates from a survey of over 20,000 respondents.

CCS's strategic posture in 2025 emphasizes geographic expansion (notably the November 2025 Gatineau, Quebec office opening with bilingual French service under the Société de Conseil en Crédit DBA), product surface broadening (Learning Hub, Financial Wellness at Work), and digital channel buildout (WhatsApp, interactive assessment tools, client portal). Customer concentration on the revenue side is low from a sales perspective but high on the funder side given creditor donation reliance. Leadership consists of President and CEO Peta Wales, with no further management team disclosed in the input.

Name

Credit Counselling Society

Legal name

Credit Counselling Society

Website

https://nomoredebts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Credit Counselling Society is a Canadian non-profit charity founded in 1996 that provides free credit counselling, a fee-based Debt Management Program, debt settlement guidance, and financial education to over 60,000 individual Canadians annually across seven provinces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Credit Counselling & Debt Management

NAICS

Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (5223)

akta.pro primary industry

Credit Counseling & Debt Management Plans (DMP) (FSAKAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Consumer Credit Counseling & Budgeting (FSAEAFAA), Collections & Creditor Negotiation Support (Debtor-Side) (FSAEAFAI), Credit Education, Monitoring & Consumer Credit Management Tools (FSAKAKAJ)

Keywords

• Credit counselling services
• Debt management programs
• Financial education resources
• Credit building services
• Consumer debt counselling

Headquarters

HQ city

New Westminster

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Creditor donations: Over 70% of CCS funding comes from donations from the credit-granting community (creditors). Creditors fund the organization because they value the impartial counselling services, benefit from client success, and recognize that consumers may be more comfortable receiving advice from an objective non-profit credit counselling service.
2. Debt Management Program fees: A nominal, sliding-scale fee (capped at $125/month) is charged for the Debt Management Program to cover administration costs. Approximately 5% of clients who receive help use this fee-based program. Fees may be reduced or waived for those who cannot afford them. The initial credit counselling consultation is always free.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Credit Counselling Society is a Canadian non-profit charity that provides free credit counselling, structured Debt Management Programs (DMP), credit-building services, and consumer financial education to individuals struggling with debt. The organization works with consumers, creditors, and trustees to consolidate unsecured debts and create repayment plans, with over 1 million Canadians served since 1996.

Product overview

Credit Counselling Society offers a comprehensive suite of debt relief and financial education services. The core offerings include free credit counselling, a Debt Management Program (DMP) for consolidated debt repayment, debt settlement negotiation, consumer proposal filing guidance, and bankruptcy assistance. These are complemented by financial education products including workshops, webinars, and an online Learning Hub with self-paced courses. Digital tools include debt quiz assessment tools and budgeting calculators. The organization operates as a non-profit, providing most services free of charge with minimal fees for their Debt Management Program. Services are delivered through in-person, phone, and online channels including WhatsApp chat support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Credit Counselling Free, confidential one-on-one credit counselling sessions that assess an individual's financial situation, provide budgeting advice, and recommend a debt action plan. Targeted at Canadians struggling with unsecured debt who need professional guidance before committing to a program.
• Debt Management Program (DMP) A structured repayment program where the organization works directly with creditors to consolidate unsecured debts (e.g., credit cards) into a single monthly payment, often at reduced interest, until the debt is repaid. Participants pay a sliding monthly service fee (capped at $125) and the program is funded largely through creditor contributions. Designed for individuals committed to repaying unsecured debt without filing for bankruptcy.
• Credit Building / Credit Building Program A service aimed at helping Canadians establish or rebuild their credit profile after completing debt repayment, through educational guidance and tools that support healthy credit usage.
• Financial Education Resources Free consumer-facing educational materials on budgeting, money management, and avoiding debt, delivered through the website and supported by counsellor advice. Targeted at Canadians who want to improve financial literacy and prevent future debt problems.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $700 million in debt repaid by clients
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Credit Counselling CanadacoreOthers · 1 January 1996CCS is accredited by Credit Counselling Canada, Canada's national association of non-profit credit counselling organizations. This is the only organization in Canada with this level of professional accreditation, demonstrating commitment to the highest industry standards and transparency.
• National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC)coreOthers · 1 January 1996CCS is an international affiliate of NFCC, North America's largest association of non-profit credit counselling organizations. This affiliation provides access to best practices, professional development, and international standards of excellence.
• Better Business BureaucoreOthers · 1 January 1996CCS is BBB Accredited, demonstrating commitment to ethical business practices, transparency, and consumer trust. The organization adheres to BBB standards for business practices.
• Great Place to Work CanadacoreOthers · 1 January 1996CCS is certified by Great Place to Work Canada, recognizing the organization's exceptional workplace culture, employee satisfaction, and commitment to creating a positive work environment for its team.
• Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (AFCPE)coreOthersAll CCS credit counsellors are professionally trained and accredited by AFCPE, ensuring standardized professional qualifications and ongoing professional development standards.
• Government AgenciesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVarious government agencies refer Canadians to CCS for financial guidance and debt counselling services, particularly during times of economic hardship such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GreenPath Financial Wellness: US-based non-profit credit counselling organization providing debt management, housing counselling, and financial wellness. Comparable to CCS as a non-profit, multi-channel, creditor-funded service.
• Take Charge America: US-based non-profit credit counselling agency offering DMP, housing counselling, and financial education. Comparable to CCS in non-profit structure, creditor-funded model, and consumer credit counselling focus.
• Money Management International (MMI): US-based non-profit credit counselling agency offering DMP, housing counselling, and financial education. Closest US analogue to CCS in non-profit model, creditor funding dynamics, and product breadth.
• InCharge Debt Solutions: US-based non-profit credit counselling and debt management organization offering DMP, financial education, and housing counselling. Closely mirrors CCS's product and delivery model at greater US scale.
• Springboard Non-Profit Consumer Credit Management: US non-profit credit counselling agency providing DMP, housing counselling, and bankruptcy pre-filing counselling. Comparable to CCS in non-profit structure and target consumers in financial distress.
• Consolidated Credit Counseling Solutions of Canada: Canadian non-profit credit counselling agency offering DMP, debt consolidation, and financial education services. Most direct domestic comparable to CCS in mission, product set, and target consumer segment.
• Credit Canada: Canadian non-profit credit counselling service providing free counselling, debt consolidation programs, and financial education. Direct competitor for the same Canadian stressed-borrower segment.

Emerging players

• National Debt Relief: US for-profit debt settlement company that negotiates lump-sum settlements with creditors. Comparable to CCS's debt settlement product line but operates on a for-profit, fee-on-settlement model versus CCS's creditor-donation funding.

Regional players

• Hoyes Michalos & Associates: Canadian insolvency trustee firm specializing in consumer proposals and bankruptcy filings in Ontario. Comparable to CCS as a destination for Canadian debtors but competing on the consumer proposal / bankruptcy segment rather than free counselling.

Broad incumbents

• BDO Canada (Debt Solutions): BDO Canada operates a Debt Solutions practice administering consumer proposals and bankruptcies. Comparable to CCS as a Canadian consumer-debt solution provider but competes through licensed insolvency trustee services rather than free counselling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CrdtCounselSoc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CreditCounsellingSoc
• Facebookfacebook.com/nomoredebts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/credit-counselling-society
• Instagraminstagram.com/nomoredebts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Credit Counselling Society