A consumer group is urgently calling on the federal government to follow other jurisdictions in the U.S and Europe and bring in legislation to stem the slide toward a cashless society.

Only 10 per cent of transactions in Canada today are done using cash, according to Carlos Castiblanco, an economist with the group Option Consommateurs.

“There is a need to protect cash right now before more merchants start refusing [it],” Castiblanco recently told CBC Radio’s Ontario Today.

It’s critical to act now, he added, before retailers begin removing all the infrastructure required to store and maintain physical money.

  • Nogami@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Can’t stand using cash. I’d be fine with an unregulated crypto currency that doesn’t need for profit companies, but never want to carry cash again.

    • girlfreddy@lemmy.caOP
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      4 months ago

      I used to carry cash all the time, mostly to have some to give away to those in need. But COVID pretty much shut that down … and now I’m barely making ends meet so don’t have the spare money to give anymore.

      • Nogami@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        I never give out cash. It will be misused most of the time. I donate to charities or food banks instead.

        • girlfreddy@lemmy.caOP
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          4 months ago

          I’ve lived on the streets. Cash allowed me to buy tampons and other things I needed.

          Besides who am I to judge what someone needs. They know better than I do.

          • Nogami@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            Oh. Guess you are the exception. Good on you for escaping. Now you can give your cash, I’ll never be giving mine out to other than charities.