Nearly 80% of Canadians say cost-of-living outpaces their income: poll
· Toronto Sun
OTTAWA — Despite saying they earn a decent salary, more than half of working Canadians say they’re having trouble making ends meet.
That’s according to a new survey commissioned by H&R Block that paints a bleak picture of Canada’s ongoing affordability crisis, with those in Atlantic Canada reportedly the most concerned.
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In that poll, conducted by Angus Reid, 58% of those surveyed say they struggle to meet everyday expenses such as groceries and gas, despite earning what they consider to be a good salary.
2026 expected to be challenging year financially
As well, 46% say they don’t have anything left over to save after paying for the essentials, 72% say they plan to curtail their spending this year, and 77% of the few who do manage to save money say they plan to put less into their savings in 2026.
“This compares to 14% saying they plan to increase spending this year as they’re less focused on putting extra cash into savings,” read a statement on the survey.
“In addition, over half (54%) of Canadians worry 2026 is going to be a challenging year for them.”
Fifty-five per cent of those polled say they put aside money every month, those 41% say they’re not able to.
Fewer Canadians are finding themselves capable of stretching their paycheque to cover monthly expenses, with 35% of those polled reporting having to resort to credit cards, bridge loans or overdraft to survive until their next pay.
Ominous split in financial perceptions
Canadians tend to have different views on their financial situation, depending on where they live.
Those in Atlantic Canada were most likely to say they’re having trouble making ends meet at 67%, followed by Alberta (66%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (64%), Ontario (59%), British Columbia (53%) and Quebec (51%.)
Of those polled, respondents were split on how they view their financial situation.
While 53% say they feel good about their financial situation, 46% of working Canadians don’t share in that assessment.
The survey was conducted between Feb. 19 and 23, 2026, among 1,545 Canadian members of Angus Reid Forum.
Since margins of error cannot be applied to online panels, an equivalent sample size would yield a margin of error of plus or minus 2.53 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.