• $1.57 trillion
Canadians’ household debt in the second quarter of 2011, reaching an all-time high this year. (Source and Source)

• 34.6 per cent
Canadians’ housing equity at the end of 2010. That represents a 20-year low. (Source)

• 150.8 per cent
Canadians’ household debt ratio to personal disposable income in the second quarter of 2011, higher than our U.S. neighbours. (Source and Source)

• 148.7 per cent
Canadian households’ credit market debt ratio to personal disposable income, second quarter 2011. (Source)

• 7.6 per cent
Percentage of Canadian disposable income that goes toward interest payments. (Source)

• One in 10
Number of Canadians who say even with a credit card or line of credit they would have trouble paying an unforeseen $500 expense. (Source)

• 27 per cent
Percentage of non-retired Canadians who don’t commit to any type of savings, not even for retirement. (Source)

• 35 per cent
Percentage of Canadians who say their debt is increasing. (Source)

• 46 per cent
Number of low-income households who report their debt is increasing. (Source)

• 57 per cent
Percentage of Canadians who say day-to-day living expenses are the main reason for their rising debt. (Source)

• One-third
Proportion of retired Canadian households carrying an average debt load of $60,000 into retirement. (Source)

• Four in 10
Number of Canadians who don’t feel confident they’ll have enough money in retirement. (Source)

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternative’s Trish Hennessy has long been a fan of Harper Magazine’s one-page list of eye-popping statistics, Harper’s Index. Instead of wishing for a Canadian version to magically appear, she’s created her own index — a monthly listing of numbers about Canada and its place in the world. Hennessy’s Index — A number is never just a number — comes out on the first of each month.

Hennessy's Index

Hennessy's Index

Trish Hennessy, author of the monthly Hennessy’s Index, is director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ Ontario office. Read back issues of Hennessy’s Index at CCPA: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/index...