FP Canada survey says those who lean on professional planners report less worry and more confidence
Money still outranks health, relationships, and work as Canadians’ top source of stress – but most people are now actively trying to fix it.
FP Canada’s 2026 Financial Stress Index, based on a national survey conducted by Leger, finds that 43 percent of Canadians cite money as their leading source of stress, compared with health (21 percent), relationships (17 percent), and work (15 percent).
Money has held the top spot in every Financial Stress Index to date, yet the latest results point to growing financial resilience as more people take action.
Eighty-five percent of Canadians say they are taking steps to reduce financial stress, up from 82 percent in 2025.
Many are focusing on the basics: 42 percent track expenses, 33 percent pay down debt, and 29 percent have created a budget. Saving is gaining ground as well, with 33 percent reporting they have saved more this year, compared with 29 percent in 2025.
“Canadians are taking matters into their own hands, while juggling everyday expenses like groceries and huge purchases like a home,” said Zena Amundsen, CFP, who owns Astra Financial Services in Regina, Sask.
She said the fact that more Canadians are saving their “hard-earned dollars” points to a different approach to managing money.
Everyday costs remain a major pressure point.
Groceries are the most significant strain on household finances, cited by 64 percent of respondents.
While worries about inflation have eased – falling to 55 percent in 2026 from 63 percent in 2023 – concern over rising housing prices is moving in the opposite direction, increasing from 20 percent in 2023 to 25 percent in 2026.
The findings highlight ongoing affordability challenges even as Canadians change their financial behaviour.
The Index shows that financial stress looks different by life stage.
Among younger Canadians aged 18 to 34, 47 percent say saving for major purchases is a source of stress, followed by job and income stability (38 percent) and investing (27 percent).
In this group, 42 percent report that they have saved more, and 35 percent say they have created a budget to manage stress.
For Canadians aged 35 to 54, the focus shifts to ongoing obligations and long-term security.
Almost half (48 percent) report financial stress tied to bill payments and day-to-day expenses, 46 percent worry about saving enough for retirement, and 39 percent point to debt. In response, 40 percent of this cohort say they have paid down debt.
Working with a financial professional appears to make a measurable difference.
Canadians who work with a financial professional, such as a Certified Financial Planner professional or a Qualified Associate Financial Planner professional, report lower rates of money as their top source of stress (34 percent) than those who do not work with a planner (48 percent).
They are also less likely to lose sleep over finances (41 percent vs. 55 percent) and more likely to feel more hopeful about their financial future than they did a year ago (57 percent vs. 47 percent).
According to Tashia Batstone, president and CEO of FP Canada, “Canadians are feeling financial pressures that continue to cause them stress.”
She said the report suggests that Canadians who work with a professional financial planner experience financial stress differently, and that CFP professionals and QAFP professionals work with clients in many circumstances.
The Financial Stress Index, now in its ninth year, is conducted for FP Canada by Leger, which carried out the 2026 survey.
