Despite Interest Rate Cuts, More Than 1 in 4 Canadians Expect to be Unable to Pay Bills – Yet More Than 1 in 5 Plan to Take on More Debt

Key findings from the TransUnion^® report:

• Household financial strains most felt among Gen X (51%), as this generation nears retirement.
• Housing prices of concern to 57%, with only 14% intending to take out a new mortgage in the next 12 months, and 15% considering refinancing their property.
• Millennials hold largest share of debt at $911 billion.
• Millennials most concerned about their ability to keep current with bills and loans, with 35% saying they're not able to pay at least one in full.
• More than half of Canadians (63%) don't expect household income to increase in next six months.
  
  

TORONTO, Jan. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TransUnion's Q4 2024 Consumer Pulse study* reveals that Canadians continue to feel pressure on their personal finances, with over a quarter (26%) of Canadians reporting that they anticipate not being able to pay at least one of their current bills and loans in full. This rate increases for Millennials, with 35% reporting that they anticipate not being able to make at least one of their debt payments in full. This demographic also has the largest share of consumers by age group in Canada's credit market, holding 27% of credit accounts (debt related balances) and surpassing Baby Boomers for the first time. Despite concerns around their personal finances, more than 1 in 5 (22%) Canadians plan to take on additional credit or refinance existing credit in the next year – and of those, 43% anticipate applying for a new credit card.

This concern around making debt repayments comes despite 79% of respondents revealing that their income remained flat or increased in the past three months as well as further interest rate reductions from the Bank of Canada.

Many Canadians also continue to feel that their financial outlook is stagnant, with nearly six in 10 (59%) saying that their incomes remained the same in the last three months, and more than half (63%) saying that they don't expect their household income to increase in the next six months.

Millennials** continue to hold the largest share of debt in the Canadian credit market at $911 billion – approximately 38% of all Canadian debt. This is likely due to shifts in life stage as Millennials are increasingly having children, buying homes and continuing to pay off existing debt.

"While economic indicators show that consumers are likely to enjoy some relief from their financial pressures in 2025, many are still navigating the challenges caused by the highest interest rates since 2001 we recently experienced," said Matthew Fabian, director of financial services research and consulting at TransUnion Canada. "With more than half of households expecting their income to stay the same in the next 12 months, added liquidity created by anticipated further interest rate cuts should create some room to breathe, and fuel optimism for 2025."

Other key findings of the study include:

Canadians continue to take on new debt despite repayment concerns

Despite concerns around their personal finances, nearly a quarter (22%) of Canadians stated that they intended to take on additional or refinance existing credit in the next year – and of those, 43% anticipate applying for a new credit card. This indicates that some consumers are seeking to have extra credit available to help offset cash flow shortages during tough financial times.

The study found that consumers are choosing to take on more debt or refinance existing credit despite almost half (49%) expressing concern about the effect of interest rates on their ability to pay off loans, mortgage or credit. Additionally, 30% of consumers said that they're uncomfortable having credit accounts like credit cards and loans.

Gen Z was the highest among generations who said they plan to apply for new or refinance existing credit within the next year at 34%. This comes as the total Canadian consumer credit debt reached a record $2.5 trillion in Q3 2024.

Reducing spending remains a priority as some Canadians take steps to protect themselves from recession

Less than half (44%) of Canadians didn't think that the country would enter a recession before the end of 2024. However, among those who said we are in a recession or would be in one by the end of 2024, the most popular stated measures taken to prepare for one was reducing spending (71%), building up savings (36%) and paying down debt (33%).

As the Bank of Canada continues to reduce interest rates, the number of Canadians choosing to pay down their debt faster may increase as they see some relief on their monthly payments.

Home purchases take a back seat as interest rates and prices remain a concern

In the current high interest environment, over three quarters (76%) of Canadians said that they were unlikely to purchase a new home in the coming year – up from 72% in Q4 2023.

Of those who were considering buying a new home in the coming year, 59% (down from 63% in Q4 2023) said that rising home prices would deter them making a new home purchase (down from 63% in Q4 2023), followed by 44% who reported that rising interest rates would discourage them (down from 52% a year ago). Among those considering purchasing a new home in the next year, the generation who were the most concerned about rising housing prices was Gen X at 65%. The generation who cited lack of home availability the most was Gen Z at 40% (up from just 5% a year ago) and rising interest rates was cited the most by Millennials at 51%.

Discretionary spending cuts - a tool to ease economic pressure

As Canadians continue to navigate a tough economic environment, many report reducing discretionary spending to possibly open more cash flow for essentials like groceries and gas.

Among Canadians who said they cut back on discretionary spending like dining out, travel and entertainment in the last three months, these are the types of spending they reported decreasing in that time:

• Dining out (84%)
• Clothing and accessories (59%)
• Food delivery / ordering in (58%)
• Entertainment and media (50%)
• Large purchases (furniture, appliances, cars, etc.) (47%)
• Travel (48%)
• Home improvement (33%)
• Electronics (30%)
• Toys and hobbies (28%)
  
  

*The most recent Consumer Pulse study includes a survey of 1,000 Canadian adult consumers conducted Sept 25 – Oct 6, 2024.

**Generations are defined in this research as follows: Gen Z, 18–26 years old; Millennials, 27–42 years old; Gen X, 43–58 years old; and Baby Boomers, age 59 and above.  

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