Nearly two-thirds of working Albertans say they are less financially secure than they were a year ago, with financial stress also affecting workplace focus, productivity and attendance, according to a new survey commissioned by Money Mentors.
The 2026 Workplace and Wellness Report, conducted among members of the Angus Reid Forum, found 62 per cent of working Albertans feel less financially secure than they did a year ago, compared with 49 per cent nationally. Only 14 per cent said they are more financially secure.
Rising costs weigh on workers
Higher costs for groceries, utilities, transportation and other everyday necessities were identified as the biggest reason Albertans are losing financial ground. Thirty-six per cent of respondents cited higher everyday expenses, compared with 24 per cent nationally.
The survey also found that financial pressures are carrying over into the workplace. More than half, or 56 per cent, of working Albertans said financial stress has negatively affected their focus, productivity or attendance, a figure that was relatively unchanged from 58 per cent in 2025.
The impact was reported across household income levels, with 63 per cent of workers in households earning between $50,000 and less than $100,000 saying financial stress is affecting their work. Among workers in households earning $100,000 or more, 50 per cent reported an impact.
Savings also remain limited for a significant share of workers. Forty-two per cent of working Albertans said they could cover no more than two months of regular expenses with their savings if they lost their job today, compared with 44 per cent in 2025.
One in five respondents, or 20 per cent, said they had less than one month of savings or could not cover their expenses at all. Meanwhile, 32 per cent said they could cover six months or more of expenses, up from 29 per cent in 2025.
Financial cushion thinner for workers under stress
The survey found the financial safety net is particularly limited among workers who are already experiencing workplace effects from financial stress.
Among those respondents, 68 per cent said they could cover no more than two months of expenses if they lost their job. Thirty-nine per cent had less than one month of savings or no financial cushion, while just 12 per cent could cover six months or more.
The figures were similar to those reported in 2025. At that time, 71 per cent of Alberta workers who said financial stress was affecting them at work had no more than two months of expenses covered.
Workers experiencing financial stress at work were also more likely to be uncertain about where to seek help with serious debt. Twenty-two per cent of Alberta workers overall said they would not know where to turn first if they or someone they knew were struggling with serious debt, rising to 32 per cent among those whose financial stress was already affecting their work.
“Financial stress doesn’t stop when someone starts their workday,” said Stacy Yanchuk Oleksy, CEO of Money Mentors. “When people are already operating with very little financial cushion, an unexpected expense or loss of income can quickly become a much bigger problem. For employees, the takeaway is to seek support before debt becomes unmanageable. For employers, it means recognizing that financial stress can affect people at work and making sure employees know where they can turn for trusted, confidential help.”
Awareness gap remains around debt assistance
Among Alberta workers who know where they would seek help with serious debt, non-profit financial counselling was the most common first choice. Twenty-six per cent said they would first turn to a non-profit financial counselling or debt-help organization, compared with 22 per cent who would choose a financial planner or financial adviser.
Ten per cent said they would first turn to a bank or credit union, while four per cent would choose a licensed insolvency trustee.
The survey found a larger awareness gap among younger workers. Nearly one-quarter, or 24 per cent, of Albertans aged 18 to 34 said they would not know where to turn for serious debt help.
Awareness was also low for Alberta’s Orderly Payment of Debts program. Seventy-nine per cent of working Albertans said they had never heard of OPD before taking the survey. Twenty per cent had heard of the program, while seven per cent said they had heard of it and knew at least something about it.
Money Mentors provides free, confidential credit counselling and financial education to Albertans dealing with debt and money management. The organization is also the exclusive provider of Alberta’s Orderly Payment of Debts program, which it manages on behalf of the Alberta government.
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