The poll of 1,127 Canadians found 76% of those expecting higher payments say renewal will strain household finances.
On Aug. 19, 2026, a Royal LePage survey reported that 38 per cent of Canadians expect their mortgage payments to increase upon renewal, marking a significant shift in homeowner sentiment.
Expectations have improved since early 2025, when 57 per cent of renewing homeowners anticipated payment hikes, though anxiety remains concentrated among those who last renewed in 2021 or 2022.
Among those anticipating higher payments, 76 per cent report financial strain, with 58 per cent planning to reduce discretionary spending and 38 per cent intending to delay home renovations.
Despite anxiety, 71 per cent of homeowners will not change living arrangements; Phil Soper, president and chief executive of Royal LePage, credited regulatory measures for preventing a default crisis.
Financial concerns are higher in Vancouver and Toronto ; Soper noted these elevated worries likely stem from higher home values in those markets rather than the renewals themselves.