Canada's Household Wealth Poised for Q2 Gains Amid Easing Debt Burden
Canada's household wealth is set to rise in the second quarter of 2026, driven by strong equity market performance and improving disposable income. According to RBC assistant chief economist Nathan Janzen, these developments will ease some of the debt-servicing pressure on Canadians.
The Canadian household net worth rose 1.3% to over $18.6 trillion in Q1, marking a tenth consecutive quarterly gain, as per Statistics Canada's data. While employment fell by 42,000 in August, the unemployment rate remained steady at 6.4%, down from 0.7 percentage points from a year earlier.
Janzen described this outcome as consistent with gradual stabilization rather than renewed deterioration. However, he also highlighted that US inflation adds uncertainty to the interest rate outlook in Canada.