A broad swath of Quebeckers continue to feel financial anxiety: 85% affected, including 46% to a high degree

Parents, low-income households, and workers are the most anxious about their finances

MONTREAL, May 8, 2025 /CNW/ - A large proportion of Quebeckers continue to feel financial anxiety, with nearly half experiencing this anxiety to a high degree. While 46% of people have moderate to extreme levels, the groups most likely to experience high financial anxiety include parents (63%), people with family incomes under $50,000 (55%), and workers (54%). These are the results of Centraide of Greater Montreal's fifth financial anxiety index conducted in collaboration with Leger. The overall average financial anxiety score dropped slightly, decreasing from 40.5 in 2024 to 39.8 this year.

However, respondents' concerns about the economy have increased. Over half (55%) expect Quebec's economic situation to get worse in the next six months, compared to 41% in 2024, for a jump of 14 percentage points.

"Quebeckers are increasingly worried about the future," said Claude Pinard, President and Executive Director of Centraide of Greater Montreal. "These results reflect a growing sense of unease, which is magnifying existing financial concerns, particularly among the low-income groups we support. This situation is affecting not only people's physical and mental health but also their relationships with other members of their household, which can often trigger a downward spiral."

A growing number of people say that thinking about their personal finances makes them anxious. This was the response from one in two people (49%), for an increase of three percentage points. Symptoms of financial stress are also on the rise among people with moderate anxiety levels, who reported disrupted sleep (52%), trouble concentrating (49%), and family conflict and tension at home (41%). 

"This survey gives us fresh data on issues such as mental health, food security and housing," said Sébastien Dallaire, Executive Vice-President, Eastern Canada, at Leger. "It also provides better insight into the financial situation of different groups, such as vulnerable people, so that they can get better support."

Even people with fairly solid finances are feeling anxious. For example, 61% of people in this group are worried about a major unexpected expense, and 58% are afraid they will not have enough money for their retirement.

Vulnerable populations affected most

Concerns about costs are even more apparent among vulnerable populations. Low-income households, single parents, newcomers, racialized people, and people living with a functional limitation have anxiety levels at the high end of the global index. Furthermore, 22% of respondents reported experiencing food insecurity, a rate that reaches 52% among single-parent families.

When it comes to renting, 22% of Quebec tenants fear being evicted from their home, a concern that is even higher among newcomers (46%), people with a functional limitation (43%), and racialized people (36%).

Centraide of Greater Montreal has been surveying Quebeckers to understand their financial concerns and to track changes in these concerns over time. The financial anxiety index is comprised of three indicators: financial and family situation, financial knowledge, and concerns about various financial aspects.

This initiative has allowed Centraide to confirm which groups are most impacted by financial anxiety so that it can better help them through the community agencies it supports. These agencies offer a multitude of services in areas such as mental health, food security, housing, and financial literacy. 

Consult the study here: link (available in French only)

About Centraide of Greater Montreal

A true agent of change, Centraide of Greater Montreal is a public foundation whose mission is to bring people together and take action for an inclusive and poverty-free Greater Montreal. To achieve this goal, it supports a network of 375 community agencies and projects in Laval, in Montreal and on the South Shore that improve the living conditions of vulnerable people. Centraide works with the Greater Montreal population and with communities, businesses, institutions and philanthropic organizations. For more information or to contribute to Centraide's campaign: centraide-mtl.org. 

About Leger

Leger is the largest Canadian-owned market research and analytics company, with more than 300 employees in Canada and the United States. Leger has been working with prestigious clients since 1986. For more information: leger360.com.

SOURCE Centraide of Greater Montreal