Canadian consumer sentiment holds steady while two in five lean on charities
At the same time, a separate Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) in Toronto revealed that close to 40 per cent of Canadians reported using charity or nonprofit services over the past 12 months – an equal proportion (two in five) were unaware that the institutions they relied on most were part of the sector.
What the numbers say
The BNCCI’s Pocketbook Index – which tracks personal finances and job security – came in at 53.90 this week, down from 55.29 four weeks ago.
Meanwhile, the Expectations Index, which measures forward-looking views on the economy and real estate, improved to 48.77 from 45.46 four weeks earlier, though it remains below the neutral 50 threshold, indicating that more Canadians still hold net negative views about what lies ahead.
Regionally, the confidence picture is uneven. Quebec registered the strongest provincial reading at 57.66, while British Columbia posted the weakest at 44.52. Ontario came in at 49.19 – slightly below neutral. For advisors with clients concentrated in those weaker markets, the data underscores an environment in which proactive financial planning conversations are particularly warranted.
On job security, 66.64 per cent of respondents rated their position as secure or somewhat secure, while only 9.53 per cent described their personal finances as better off compared to a year ago – with 39.84 per cent saying they were worse off.
