A new poll suggests the holiday season is looking bleak for many Canadians as financial stress intensifies and expectations for next year sink even lower.Fresh data from the Angus Reid Institute shows one-in-five Canadians now fall into the “high” financial pressure category, a group marked by job insecurity, rising debt, and growing trouble affording basic necessities like groceries. Three-in-five in this hardest-hit segment expect 2026 to be even worse.Another 19% face medium pressure — sharing some of the same challenges but with fewer problems piling on at once..At the other end of the scale, 23% of Canadians report “very low” financial strain. Just over half believe next year will look the same for them, while 42% expect their situation to improve. The largest share overall — 37% — report low pressure, reflecting stable work and generally manageable housing payments.The cost of living remains the dominant concern heading into 2026. Nearly three-in-five Canadians cite it as their top issue, towering over health care at 41%, housing affordability at 26%, and the broader economy at 23%. .With Ottawa and the provinces promising “major projects” and pledging to spend more on housing, respondents appear eager for concrete results that improve their day-to-day lives.There are signs of improvement in the rental market. Last year, 23% of renters said paying rent was “very difficult.” That figure has since dropped to 15%. Mortgage holders also report some relief: 62% now say their payments are manageable or easy to handle, up from 53% in mid-2024.But feeding a household remains a major struggle. Two-in-five Canadians say it’s hard to cover grocery bills — a number that rises to a majority among families earning under $50,000 a year.
