When Does Consumer Debt Become A Consumer Crisis?

""

As unemployment continues to grip many Canadians largely due to struggling crude oil prices, it probably doesn’t come as a surprise to learn many have found themselves relying on credit to make it from one financial obligation to next. What you may not know however, is just how significant that credit reliance has become. In fact, over half of Canadians are concerned about their debt and are currently living within just $200 a month of not being able to pay their bills. That means millions of Canadians on the verge of financial distress, which is a potential crisis, we simply cannot afford.

These statistics are based on the MNP Consumer Debt Sentiment Survey, which was conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of MNP. This article by Yahoo!Finance was originally posted online at Yahoo!Finance on September 28, 2016.

Latest Blog Posts

2025-07-14

Nearly half of Albertans are $200 or less away from financial insolvency each month, more than any other province, amid ongoing economic uncertainty

Lindsay Burchill

MNP Consumer Debt Index

Nearly half of Albertans (47%, +2 pts) report they are $200 or less away from financial insolvency each month — more than those in any other province — according to the latest MNP Consumer Debt Index.

Read More

2025-07-14

Nearly half of Quebecers regret their debt as life plans stall and financial anxieties take hold amid ongoing economic uncertainty

Frederic Lachance

MNP Consumer Debt Index

Nearly two-thirds of Quebecers say they desperately need interest rates to go down (63%, -2 pts), according to the latest MNP Consumer Debt Index.

Read More

2025-07-14

MNP Consumer Debt Index holds steady following two interest rate pauses as Canadians brace for ongoing economic uncertainty

Grant Bazian

MNP Consumer Debt Index

Younger adults and lower-income households are most likely to report stress, stalled life plans, and living paycheque to paycheque.

Read More

Consultation icon