By Ketki Saxena
Investing.com - Last, week Statistics Canada reported that in Q1, Canadian's household debt-to-income ratio rose by 2.8 percentage points to reach 184.5%, up from the previous quarter's revised figure of 181.7%.
Meanwhile, the household debt service ratio climbed to 14.90% in Q1 from 14.40% in the previous quarter.
This surge can be partly explained by households borrowing an additional $16.5 billion (seasonally adjusted) during Q1, with mortgage debts accounting for $11.2 billion of this amount.
A recent analysis conducted by BMO (TSX:BMO) Economics now forecasts that these soaring levels of household debt will pose significant challenges for Canada's national economy in the upcoming months.
Economist Shelly Kaushik identified an alarming deterioration in household debt-to-income ratios during Q1 and emphasized how increasing interest rates are driving up debt service costs as a result of consecutive rate hikes implemented by the Bank of Canada.
"The household debt service ratio (interest and principal as a share of disposable income) rose from 14.4% to 14.9% in Q1, the highest since 2019 and just a tick below the all-time high posted in 2007"
Kaushik further explained that this trend is likely to hinder consumption and economic growth throughout the remainder of 2023 and into 2024.
It's also a factor that may complicate the Bank of Canada's fight to tackle inflation.
"Household debt remains a key vulnerability to the Canadian economy, and one that the Bank will watch closely as it determines how much more tightening is required this cycle"