MNP Consumer Debt Index

MNP Consumer Debt Index plunges 15 points to all-time low as interest rates, inflation and affordability have many Canadians concerned about their debt

The quarterly MNP Consumer Debt Index has taken a drastic plunge to 77 points, dropping a record 15 points from last quarter and marking an all-time low since the Index was created more than five years ago. The unprecedented quarterly decline underscores the anxiety Canadians feel about their debt situation amid rising interest rates, persistent inflation, and heightened affordability concerns.

Conducted quarterly by Ipsos, the latest survey data reveals a record 47 percent of Canadians are concerned about their current level of debt, up seven points from last quarter. More Canadians also say they regret the amount of debt they’ve taken on in life (49%, +7 pts) this quarter. Fewer are confident in their ability to cover all of their living/family expenses in the next year without going further into debt (51%, -5 pts).

Details behind MNP’s Consumer Debt Index, along with media coverage and our provincial and national news releases can be found below. To view data from previous releases of the MNP Consumer Debt Index, visit our Historical Data page.

Debt Index Results for January 2023

Press Releases

• National: MNP Consumer Debt Index plunges 15 points to all-time low as interest rates, inflation and affordability have many Canadians concerned about their debt
• B.C.: British Columbians’ debt concerns grow, amid persistently high interest rates, inflation and affordability struggles, MNP Consumer Debt Index finds
• Ontario: Ontarians’ debt concerns spike, amid persistently high interest rates, inflation and affordability struggles, MNP Consumer Debt Index finds
• Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan and Manitoba residents’ debt concerns spike amid persistently high interest rates, inflation and affordability struggles, MNP Consumer Debt Index finds
• Alberta: Albertans’ debt concerns spike, amid persistently high interest rates, inflation and affordability struggles, MNP Consumer Debt Index finds
• Nova Scotia: Concern about repaying debt grows among Nova Scotians amid persistently high interest rates, inflation and affordability struggles, MNP Consumer Debt Index finds
• New Brunswick: Concern about repaying debt grows among New Brunswickers amid persistently high interest rates, inflation and affordability struggles, MNP Consumer Debt Index finds
• Newfoundland: Concern about repaying debt grows among Newfoundlanders amid persistently high interest rates, inflation and affordability struggles, MNP Consumer Debt Index finds
• Prince Edward Island: Concern about repaying debt grows among Prince Edward Islanders amid persistently high interest rates, inflation and affordability struggles, MNP Consumer Debt Index finds
• Manitoba:  Manitoba and Saskatchewan residents’ debt concerns spike amid persistently high interest rates, inflation and affordability struggles, MNP Consumer Debt Index finds
• Quebec: Quebecers’ debt concerns grow amid higher interest rates, inflation and affordability struggles, MNP Consumer Debt Index Finds

Download the MNP Consumer Debt Index infographic.

About MNP LTD

MNP LTD, a division of the national accounting firm MNP LLP, is the largest insolvency practice in Canada. For more than 50 years, our experienced team of Licensed Insolvency Trustees and advisors have been working with individuals to help them recover from times of financial distress and regain control of their finances. With more than 240 offices from coast to coast, MNP helps thousands of Canadians each year who are struggling with an overwhelming amount of debt. Visit MNPdebt.ca to contact a Licensed Insolvency Trustee or use our free Do it Yourself (DIY) debt assessment tools. For regular, bite-sized insights about debt and personal finances, subscribe to the MNP 3-Minute Debt Break Podcast.

About the MNP Consumer Debt Index

The MNP Consumer Debt Index measures Canadians’ attitudes toward their consumer debt and gauges their ability to pay their bills, endure unexpected expenses, and absorb interest-rate fluctuations without approaching insolvency. Conducted by Ipsos and updated quarterly, the Index is an industry-leading barometer of financial pressure or relief among Canadians.

Now in its twenty-third wave, the Index has plunged 15 points since last quarter to 77 points, a record drop and an all-time low since the MNP Consumer Debt Index’s inception over five years ago. Visit MNPdebt.ca/CDI to learn more.

The data was compiled by Ipsos on behalf of MNP LTD between December 1 and December 6, 2022. For this survey, a sample of 2,000 Canadians aged 18 years and over was interviewed. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data, and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within ±2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Canadian adults been polled. The credibility interval will be wider among subsets of the population. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to, coverage error and measurement error.