A new national survey from licensed insolvency trustee firm Harris & Partners has found that almost nine in 10 Canadians say they are living paycheque to paycheque, underscoring the depth of the affordability crisis in Canada.

The survey of more than 1,100 Canadians, conducted in September 2025, shows 88.9 per cent report living paycheque to paycheque. More than six in 10 said they relied on credit cards, loans, or borrowing to cover basic expenses in the past year, while over 80 per cent reported cutting back on essentials such as food, heating, or transportation.

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Other findings include:

• 77.1 per cent could not cover an unexpected $500 expense without borrowing.

• 80.1 per cent reported having no emergency savings.

• 81.4 per cent said they feel financially stressed.

• 67.4 per cent said they blame themselves for their financial struggles.

“These figures should concern all of us,” said Joshua Harris, CEO of Harris & Partners. “We are not just seeing people cutting luxuries. We are talking about Canadians struggling with food, housing, transport, and heating costs. When nearly nine in ten are living paycheque to paycheque, it shows how fragile household finances have become.”

The survey suggests financial stress is widespread, with respondents describing constant worry about whether their paycheques will be enough to cover basic bills. Harris warned that reliance on credit to fill the gap risks driving families deeper into debt.

Despite the challenges, 62.4 per cent of Canadians said they expect their finances to improve over the next year — a sign of resilience, but one Harris said must be supported by broader changes to close the gap between wages and costs.