A new poll suggests more Canadians are living debt-free this year compared to 2011.
The annual RBC survey found that 26 per cent of respondents had no personal debt - excluding mortgage debt - in 2012, up from 22 per cent last year. However, the poll found on average Canadians are carrying $13,141 in nonmortgage debt, up $84 from last year. Ontario residents were carrying the heaviest load at $15,361 while Quebecers had the least at $10,171.
Some 40 per cent of those polled said they were comfortable with their current debt level, down from 45 per cent last year. And one-in-three respondents said their debt levels are a source of anxiety - up from 2011.
The poll also found a majority of respondents - 51 per cent - said it's more important right now to pay down debt rather than save and invest for the future.
And 76 per cent said they're in better financial shape than their neighbours.
The International Mone-ary Fund raised concerns in a report this week about the amount of borrowing in Canada and how it could affect the economy.
The online poll of 2,041 Canadians was conducted July 27 to Aug. 2. The Marketing Research and Intelligence Association says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population.
