Quarterly financial flows and stocks of household credit market debt, consumer credit, non-mortgage loans, and mortgage loans, on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Key information about Canada Household Debt

• Canada Household Debt reached 2,110.9 USD bn in Dec 2024, compared with the reported number of 2,161.8 USD bn in the previous month
• Canada Household Debt: USD mn data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1969 to Dec 2024
• The data reached an all-time high of 2,225.1 USD bn in Sep 2024 and a record low of 22.2 USD bn in Jan 1969

CEIC converts monthly Household Debt into USD. Statistics Canada provides Household Debt in local currency. The Federal Reserve Board period end market exchange rate is used for currency conversions. Loans are used due to the lack of Flow of Funds statistics. Household Debt prior to January 1990 is sourced from the Bank of Canada.


Further information about Canada Household Debt

• In the latest reports, Canada Household Debt accounted for 99.2 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Sep 2024
• Money Supply M2 in Canada increased 1,873.3 USD bn YoY in Nov 2024
• Canada Foreign Exchange Reserves was measured at 90.2 USD bn in Jan 2025
• The Foreign Exchange Reserves equaled 2.0 Months of Import in Dec 2024
• Canada Domestic Credit reached 4,647.3 USD bn in Nov 2024, representing an increased of 3.9 % YoY

In 2022, the value of the lending to households in Switzerland as a share of its gross domestic product (GDP) was higher than in any of the countries selected here. Australian, Canadian, and South Korean households had an amount of credit which was higher than the overall size of their economy. That year, household lending in Argentina amounted to 4 percent of its GDP, which was the lowest figure in the ranking.

What is the household debt?

Household debt, also known as family debt, includes loans taken to pay for the home or other property, education, vehicles, and other expenses. The largest component of this is mortgage debt, which is seen by many as a way to build long-term equity. As such, households are willing to take on a large amount of this debt with the goal of owning an asset that holds value and can be used as a residence in the meantime.

The cost of debt

The cost of a loan depends on a number of factors such as the interest rate, borrower’s credit risk or time period of a loan. The value of mortgage and the rate of return on assets such as real estate also depend largely on geographic location. The highest borrowers in this statistic are likely living in countries where credit is affordable and expected returns are relatively high, incentivizing heavy borrowing.

Debt collection agencies in Canada endured mixed results across their core service niches, as high inflation and uneven debt growth across core markets affected their ability to collect debt. Insolvency rates fell drastically during the pandemic in 2020 as robust government stimulus and policies such as the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) pushed banks and other debt lenders to defer mortgage, credit card and other payments. Economic recovery and the subsequent reopening across core sectors such as manufacturing and retail reversed insolvency trends, as clients required debt collection agencies to help secure their money. Recent spikes in interest rates, which peaked to a high of 5.0% in 2023, further complicated matters, as consumers and businesses alike endured higher credit card payments and financing for loans and mortgages, respectively. Overall, revenue grew an annualized 0.2% to an estimated $789.1 million over the past five years, including an estimated 1.1% decline in 2025 alone. The majority of agencies are small and typically serve local or regional markets. Even so, merger and acquisition activity has continued to expand as companies seek economies of scale and scope. This allows agencies to help meet client needs across the nation. With business delinquencies falling 14.7% over the past quarter in 2024, agencies have been forced to diversify their service offering to encompass a wider range of sectors and individual consumers. Technological proliferation and new automated systems have allowed larger agencies to enhance service offering via faster analysis of consumer information and collection of debts virtually, stabilizing profit. Moving forward, debt collection agencies face a mixed future. While currently elevated interest rates and the robust levels of household debt will continue to provide a need for collection services, a thriving economy will mean more consumers and businesses will pay off their debts before they default. Debt collectors will adopt cost-saving communications technology and enhanced data analytics tools to minimize volatility and lower labour costs, which make up over half of their main expenditures. Most large agencies have the financial capabilities for technological enhancements, giving them a competitive advantage; nonetheless, higher competition from in-house collection agencies across prominent commercial banks will limit the scope of agency influence. Overall, revenue is expected to grow an annualized 0.6% to an estimated $813.2 million through the end of 2030.

The average mortgage payment in the large and mid-sized cities in Canada ranged between 1,300 Canadian dollars and 2,600 Canadian dollars. In the fourth quarter of the year, Vancouver topped the ranking, with homebuyers paying, on average, ***** Canadian dollars monthly. In Toronto, the average monthly scheduled mortgage payment was ***** Canadian dollars. Canada’s housing market House prices in Canada vary widely across the country. In 2023, the average sales price of detached single-family homes in Vancouver was nearly three times as expensive as the national average. Vancouver is undoubtedly considered the least affordable housing market: In 2023, the cost of buying a home with a **-year mortgage in Canada was approximately ** percent of the median household income, whereas in Vancouver, it was nearly *** percent. Development of house prices The development of house prices depends on multiple factors, such as availability on the market and demand. Since 2005, house prices in Canada have been continuously growing. According to the MSL composite house price index, 2021 measured the highest house price increase.

Households Debt in Canada decreased to 171.10 percent of gross income in 2025 from 173.07 percent in 2024. This dataset provides - Canada Households Debt To Income- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Loan administration and cheque cashing services endured mixed results amid economic volatility during the pandemic and the continued effects of high interest rates on Canadian businesses and consumers alike. Canadian consumers' appetite for debt has boosted the industry by sustaining demand for consumer financing, mortgages and cash services for businesses. However, sharp economic volatility in 2020 forced consumers and businesses to shift their borrowing preferences away from traditional banking clients, causing revenue to spike in 2020. While a temporary economic recovery in 2021 caused consumers to revert back to traditional financial norms, the effects of high inflation and interest rates severely influenced how clients pursue their financial goals. Broader growth in core loan vehicles, such as auto loans and mortgages, in 2024 further cemented administrator demand. Nonetheless, continued competition from digital alternatives and external competitors curtailed larger rates of growth, with revenue rising an annualized 3.2% to an estimated $1.8 billion through the end of 2024, including an estimated 2.1% boost in 2024 alone. Profit followed a similar trend, as higher rates of loan demand and lowering of operational expenses facilitated greater profitability for administrators. Canadian GDP growth has largely been driven by trends in consumption. As interest rates spiked in 2023, Canadians have had to alter their spending habits and patterns. The continued upward push of Canadians living paycheck to paycheck further discouraged demand for traditional banks and provided a more diversified revenue stream among younger and underbanked consumers. This reliance on debt to make monthly payments also provides administrators with steady demand for their payday loan offerings. But in an environment where most payday loans made are to consumers with a higher probability of default, mounting household debt runs the risk of insolvency and industry contraction. Additionally, mounting external competition from digital payment platforms undermined administrator demand, with consumers having more opportunities via digital platforms to meet their digital needs. Moving forward, loan administration and cheque cashing services will continue to benefit from uncertainty surrounding interest rates and general economic shakiness among downstream customers. However, anticipated changes in regulations surrounding payday loans and interest rates will enhance compliance costs and curtail profitability. Lastly, increased external competition from commercial banks, credit unions and emerging financial technology companies via payment platforms like Zelle and Venmo will likely put downward pressure on niche services such as cheque cashing, money order issuance, travellers' cheque issuance and payday loans. Revenue is expected to fall an annualized 2.4% to an estimated $1.6 billion through the end of 2029.

In 2024, the value of the lending to households in Switzerland as a share of its gross domestic product (GDP) was higher than in any of the countries selected here. Australian, Canadian, and South Korean households had an amount of credit which was higher than the overall size of their economy. That year, household lending in Argentina amounted to *** percent of its GDP, which was the lowest figure in the ranking. What is the household debt? Household debt, also known as family debt, includes loans taken to pay for the home or other property, education, vehicles, and other expenses. The largest component of this is mortgage debt, which is seen by many as a way to build long-term equity. As such, households are willing to take on a large amount of this debt with the goal of owning an asset that holds value and can be used as a residence in the meantime. The cost of debt The cost of a loan depends on a number of factors such as the interest rate, borrower’s credit risk or time period of a loan. The value of mortgage and the rate of return on assets such as real estate also depend largely on geographic location. The highest borrowers in this statistic are likely living in countries where credit is affordable and expected returns are relatively high, incentivizing heavy borrowing.

Quarterly financial flows and stocks of household credit market debt, consumer credit, non-mortgage loans, and mortgage loans, on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Vancouver and Toronto, two of the biggest metropolitan areas in Canada, led the ranking by average value of new mortgage loans in the country. In Vancouver, the average new mortgage loan was approximately 522,000 Canadian dollars, whereas the national average was 339,000 Canadian dollars. Vancouver and Toronto are also the country's largest mortgage markets.

This table contains 14 series, with data for years 1990 - 2012 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years), and is no longer being released. This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada);  Estimates (14 items: Debt to gross domestic product (GDP); Debt to personal disposable income; Credit market debt to personal disposable income; Consumer credit and mortgage liabilities to personal disposable income; ...).

The Home Equity Loan market is projected to reach a market size of 30.74 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 3.50% over the forecast period 2025-2033. The United States, Canada, and Mexico are the major markets in North America. China, India, Japan, South Korea, ASEAN, Oceania, and the Rest of Asia Pacific form the Asia Pacific region. The factors driving market growth include the increasing popularity of debt consolidation, home improvements, and the need for additional capital. The growth in the home equity loan market is attributed to the low interest rates and the increasing number of homeowners. The availability of home equity loans at competitive interest rates makes them an attractive option for borrowers. However, the market is restrained by factors such as the high risk associated with home equity loans and strict eligibility criteria. The market is segmented by types, service providers, and regions. The types of home equity loans include fixed-rate loans and home equity lines of credit. The service providers include banks, online lenders, credit unions, and others. The regions include North America, South America, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Asia Pacific. North America is expected to continue to dominate the market, followed by Asia Pacific and Europe. The increasing demand for home equity loans in these regions is expected to drive the growth of the Home Equity Loan market. Recent developments include: In April 2022, Redfin a real estate company based in Seattle (United States) acquired Bay Equity Home Loans with a sum of USD 137.8 Million. The merger accelerates Redfin’s strategy for expanding its business with customers to buy, sell, rent, and finance a home., In July 2022, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board acquired HomeQ which exists as a parent company of HomeEquity Bank, from Birch Hill Equity Partners Management Inc. HomeEquity Bank exist as a Canadian Bank offering a range of reverse mortgage solutions product and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board is a global investor.. Key drivers for this market are: Increase In Sales of Household Units, Higher Duration of Repayment. Potential restraints include: Increase In Sales of Household Units, Higher Duration of Repayment. Notable trends are: Access to Large Amount of Loan.

This table contains 14 series, with data for years 1990 - 2012 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years), and is no longer being released. This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada); Estimates (14 items: Debt to gross domestic product (GDP); Debt to personal disposable income; Credit market debt to personal disposable income; Consumer credit and mortgage liabilities to personal disposable income; ...).