A survey found many Canadians say debt plays a significant role on whether they enter or stay in a relationship.

According to the survey released on Monday by Finder, three-quarters of Canadians (75 per cent) would think about breaking up or not starting a relationship due to a partner’s debt, regardless of the total amount.

It also found that debt is one of Canadians’ top three deal breakers in a partner, with infidelity in first (36 per cent), followed by addiction (33 per cent) and debt (30 per cent).

Three-in-10 Canadians also say they would reconsider being in a relationship with their partner if they had debt between $500 to $15,000, while 15 per cent say “no amount of debt” is acceptable when it comes to finding a significant other.

UNEMPLOYMENT CONCERNS

The report also found younger Canadians aged 18 to 44 are more concerned if their partner is unemployed (26 per cent) compared to those over 45 (19 per cent).

Women also place a higher priority on finding a partner that has a job (27 per cent), the report said, than men (17 per cent).

But on the other hand, more male respondents are likely to want a partner to make their life more affordable (18 per cent) in comparison to females (17 per cent).

Finder survey methodology

The results of the Finder: Undateable Debt Survey were collected through an online Pollfish survey conducted between January 22 and February 2, 2023. In the survey, 1,846 Canadians from across the country were asked about their opinions on relationships, dating and the financial implications of both. The estimated margin of error for the survey is +/-3%, 19 out of 20 times.