Core Insights - Total Canadian consumer credit balances reached $2.52 trillion in Q2 2025, marking a 4.4% year-over-year increase, but only a 3% real increase when adjusted for inflation [2][3] - Average consumer total balance increased by 7% from Q1 2022 to Q2 2025, while non-mortgage debt declined by 10%, indicating rising mortgage costs are consuming more household budgets [3][4] - Regional disparities exist in non-mortgage debt levels, with P.E.I. and B.C. reporting the highest average debt levels, while Quebec and Manitoba have the lowest [4][5] Consumer Debt Trends - The average new mortgage loan amount rose 6.9% year-over-year to $368,432, highlighting ongoing affordability challenges for homebuyers [10][11] - More than two million Canadian mortgages are set to renew between 2025 and 2026, with many originally secured at ultra-low interest rates, leading to potential increases in monthly payments [13] - The overall consumer-level serious delinquency rate increased slightly to 1.77%, with Alberta having the highest rate at 2.29% [14][16][17] Economic Conditions and Market Dynamics - Mortgage originations surged 51% year-over-year in Q1 2025, reaching $82.6 billion, driven by lower interest rates and renewed buyer demand [8][9] - The Consumer Credit Industry Index declined by 1.4 points from the previous quarter to 98.8, reflecting softening consumer spending amid rising cost-of-living pressures [19] - Inflation has been a key driver of growth in consumer balances, with average non-mortgage balances rising 10% since 2022 [6]