A consumer proposal can only be filed for non-mortgage debt up to $250,000. Bankruptcy has no limit to the amount of debt that can be included, only a minimum of $1000.
You can keep credit cards when you file a CP so long as you have no balance on them on the date your CP is filed.
The total amount of debt owing, excluding the mortgage on your principal residence, must be less than $250,000 in order to qualify for a consumer proposal.
The purpose of a consumer proposal is to allow you to negotiate a revised payment plan with your creditors. By forgiving a significant chunk of your debt (in some cases, up to 80%), your payments shrink considerably, giving your budget some much-needed breathing room.
Those who file a consumer proposal can keep a credit card with a zero balance at the date of filing. This will help re-establish credit during the consumer proposal. Many people worry that filing a consumer proposal will drop their credit card limit, this is not automatically the case.