Urban Aboriginal use of fringe financial institutions: Survey evidence from Prince George, British Columbia

This paper analyses the use of fringe financial institutions (FFIs), such as payday loan and check cashing providers, by urban Aboriginal people based on a survey undertaken in Prince George, British Columbia. We found that 60% of FFIs’ clients surveyed self-identified as Aboriginal. Their characteristics, compared to the non-Aboriginal FFI clients, included having lower average incomes, lower levels of education, more likely to be female, a higher incidence of being unemployed, higher levels of financial exclusion, and less satisfaction with the service provided by FFIs. We find that government policy towards regulating the FFI industry is inadequate for meeting the basic financial needs of urban Aboriginal people.

► We interviewed 176 users of fringe financial institutions such as payday loan companies. ► 60% of our sample self-identified as Aboriginal. ► Most fringe financial institution users had low incomes and low assets. Many were precariously banked. We review policy measures to address financial exclusion.