Nearly half of Canadians could cover expenses for only a month before falling into debt: Survey
Ottawa: Nearly half of Canadians would be unable to cover basic living expenses for more than a month without falling into debt if they lost their main source of income, a new survey found.
The Financial Anxiety Index, released by United Way Centraide Canada and conducted by Léger, found that 46% of Canadians could cover essential expenses for only one month or less.
The figure rose from 42% six months ago, highlighting growing financial pressure on households.
The survey found that 27% of respondents said their financial situation had worsened over the past six months.
More than half of Canadians described their finances as manageable but tight or said they were already struggling.
Rising costs of food, housing and energy were identified as major sources of financial stress.
About 38% of respondents reported experiencing food insecurity. One in five said there had been times when all the food in their home was gone and they lacked money to buy more.
The poll found that 40% of Canadians struggle to sleep because of financial worries and another 34% reported difficulty concentrating at work or school due to financial stress.
Financial anxiety continued to rise, with 60% of respondents saying they feel anxious about their personal finances, a five percentage point increase from late 2025.
Single parents, newcomers and young adults were among the most financially vulnerable groups.
About 58% of single parents and 54% of newcomers said they could not cover basic expenses for more than one month without going into debt.
The survey also found that 22% of Canadians had personally experienced poverty, up from 19% in the previous poll, meanwhile, 34% said someone close to them had experienced poverty.
"The story behind the data is people having to make difficult choices, losing sleep over bills, increased family stress, struggling to focus at work, or going without food," said Dan Clement, president and chief executive officer of United Way Centraide Canada.
Clement said financial hardship is affecting a growing number of Canadians and is spreading beyond traditionally vulnerable households.
The survey found that community support programmes continue to provide relief. Among those who used community services, 40% reported an improvement in their financial situation and another 36% said the support helped reduce their financial anxiety.
The findings point to growing financial insecurity as many Canadians struggle to keep up with everyday costs.
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