Alberta's debt delinquency rate highest in Canada at 2.45 per cent

Alberta is seeing more residents fall behind on non-mortgage debt payments than anywhere else in Canada, according to Equifax Canada's Market Pulse report for the second quarter of 2026.

Alberta's 90-plus-day delinquency rate on non-mortgage debt — which includes credit cards, personal loans, auto loans and buy-now-pay-later plans — sits at 2.45 per cent, compared to the national average of 1.76 per cent. Edmonton, Fort McMurray and Calgary all ranked among the highest cities for the same metric.

Kathy Catsiliras, VP of analytical consulting with Equifax Canada, said the province's higher rate can partly be attributed to interprovincial migration. "What's happening is they're moving, they're bringing their financial baggage with them," Catsiliras said. People from Ontario and British Columbia are relocating to Alberta seeking cheaper housing and better job prospects, but they're carrying existing debt loads that remain difficult to manage even with a lower cost of living.

Despite leading the country, Alberta's rate dropped year-over-year.

The Credit Counselling Society has seen growing numbers of Alberta consumers seeking support with non-mortgage debt, mirroring a similar rise across Canada. Isaiah Chan, the organization's vice president of programs and services, said people are taking on higher-risk or higher-cost debt due to interest rate pressures and employment changes. "Income levels have not kept up with the cost of living," Chan said. He advises people dealing with debt not to wait to seek help, noting many clients say they wish they'd reached out years earlier.

Across Canada, total consumer debt rose to $2.68 trillion in the second quarter of 2026, a more than four per cent year-over-year increase.