Debt Relief Experts
2026 Consumer Insolvency Filings
This page is updated monthly as the Office of the Superintendent of Ontario releases data.
Updated for February 2026
Consumer insolvencies in Canada rose 12.9% year-over-year in February, reaching 12,307 filings. The increase was driven primarily by continued growth in consumer proposals, which climbed 13.3% and account for 82.8% of all filings.
Ontario’s growth was 0%. Specifically, Ontario recorded 3,732 total filings in February 2026, identical to the number reported in February 2025.
Findings from the Joe Debtor study show that individuals are carrying higher levels of debt and taking longer to file. This helps explain how insolvency volumes can remain flat even as financial pressure increases. Ontario has among the highest household debt levels in Canada, with several of its largest cities ranking among those with the highest average consumer debt and credit card balances.
To understand how the profile of the average consumer insolvency changed in 2025 and why we feel insolvency filing growth was relatively slow, read our updated Joe Debtor Bankruptcy Study
Proposal share continues to slightly increase. In Ontario, proposals accounted for approximately 83% of all filings in February, up from recent months, while the national share sits unwavering at 79%
Our Hoyes Michalos Homeowners Bankruptcy Index has fluctuated in recent months with January at 7.0%, February at 10.6%, March at 8.9% and April back up to 10.2%
Ontario Consumer Insolvency Statistics by Region 2025
Ontario and Canada-wide insolvencies ended the year up 2.3%.
In total, 52,838 Ontarians filed for insolvency in 2025. Personal bankruptcies increased by 7.7%, while consumer proposals grew by 1.1%. Proposals accounted for 81% of all insolvencies in Ontario, compared to 78% Canada-wide, and down from 82% in 2024.
To understand how the profile of the average consumer insolvency changed, read our annual Joe Debtor Bankruptcy Study.
Below is a summary of insolvencies by geographic region as summarized by Hoyes Michalos based on insolvency statistics by FSA provided by the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB). Regional FSA allocations may differ slightly from annual economic region data provided by the OSB as the regional data summarized by Hoyes Michalos provides additional location details than is available by economic region.
REGION* |
Consumer Insolvencies | Total Growth | Growth Bankruptcy | Growth Proposal | % Proposals |
| Canada | 140,457 | 2.3% | 4.3% | 1.8% | 78% |
| Ontario | 52,838 | 2.3% | 7.7% | 1.1% | 81% |
REGION* |
|||||
| Barrie Region | 2,526 | 7% | 37% | 2% | 81% |
| Belleville Region | 1,094 | 8% | 12% | 7% | 80% |
| Brampton | 2,736 | 11% | 13% | 10% | 83% |
| Brantford Region | 1,116 | 4% | 15% | 2% | 82% |
| Brockville Region | 403 | 5% | 57% | -6% | 73% |
| Cambridge | 563 | -7% | -15% | -6% | 84% |
| Chatham Region | 521 | -5% | 14% | -11% | 73% |
| City of Toronto | 3,1201 | -3% | 0% | -3% | 83% |
| Cornwall Region | 500 | -5% | 10% | -9% | 75% |
| Essex-Leamington Region | 245 | -22% | -20% | -22% | 77% |
| Etobicoke | 1,5379 | 2% | -8% | 4% | 83% |
| Guelph | 445 | -8% | -17% | -6% | 81% |
| Hamilton Region | 2,525 | -1% | 0% | -1% | 81% |
| Huron Region | 619 | -3% | -11% | -1% | 79% |
| Kingston Region | 687 | 3% | 14% | 0% | 78% |
| KW-Wellington Region | 1,708 | 8% | 5% | 9% | 82% |
| London Region | 2,950 | 4% | -2% | 5% | 80% |
| Markham | 773 | 1% | 30% | -4% | 81% |
| Mississauga | 2,435 | 6% | 3% | 6% | 84% |
| Newmarket & Area | 1,058 | 3% | 15% | 1% | 81% |
| Niagara Region | 1,977 | 0% | 9% | -3% | 76% |
| North Bay Region | 441 | -3% | 25% | -10% | 75% |
| North York | 3,927 | 1% | 9% | 0% | 84% |
| Burlington-Oakville Region | 1,492 | 7% | 18% | 4% | 81% |
| Orangeville & Area | 533 | 18% | 49% | 12% | 78% |
| Oshawa-Bowmanville Region | 1,987 | 3% | 11% | 2% | 83% |
| Ottawa Region | 3,805 | 6% | 21% | 2% | 78% |
| Parry Sound-Huntsville Region | 331 | -3% | 10% | -7% | 76% |
| Pembroke Region | 294 | 0% | 6% | -1% | 75% |
| Peterborough Region | 912 | -4% | -12% | -2% | 83% |
| Pickering | 934 | 10% | 0% | 12% | 85% |
| Richmond Hill | 677 | 9% | 1% | 11% | 82% |
| Sarnia Region | 445 | 12% | 21% | 8% | 73% |
| Sault Ste. Marie Region | 408 | -7% | 16% | -13% | 71% |
| Scarborough | 2,626 | -1% | -7% | 0% | 85% |
| Stratford Region | 164 | -9% | 25% | -16% | 76% |
| Sudbury Region | 967 | -7% | 2% | -9% | 76% |
| Thunder Bay Region | 574 | -7% | -2% | -9% | 78% |
| Timmins Region | 445 | -13% | -25% | -10% | 80% |
| Vaughan | 594 | 3% | 2% | 3% | 83% |
| Windsor Region | 1,223 | 1% | 18% | -3% | 76% |
| Woodstock Region | 445 | 8% | 5% | 9% | 81% |
| *Region includes surrounding rural areas | |||||
Press Inquiries
For commentary and information about consumer insolvencies and debt issues in Ontario, contact:
J. Douglas Hoyes
CA, CPA, Licensed Insolvency Trustee
Email Doug
Ted Michalos
CA, CPA, Licensed Insolvency Trustee
Email Ted
