Nearly Half of Working Canadians (46%) Say They’re as Private About Their Income as Their Nudity, Reveals New H&R Block Canada Survey

63% say they’d work harder if they were paid better despite 60% getting a pay increase; H&R Block points to the tax credits and benefits that drive the biggest income tax refunds

CALGARY, Alberta, April 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new survey by H&R Block Canada reveals that while most working Canadians love their job, many feel cynical around their pay level and today’s realities around pay increases. While 60% of working Canadians received an increase in the last 12 months, 27% say they were disappointed or offended by the increase amount, which averaged 4.3%. The survey revealed that, on average, Canadians believe nearly $85,000 is the income needed for a single adult to get by and put a little aside into savings or for an emergency fund. However, this amount differs across regions with British Columbia being the highest at nearly $93,000, followed by Alberta ($89,000), Ontario ($87,000), Saskatchewan and Manitoba ($82,000), Atlantic Canada and Quebec ($76,000).

“We can’t help with pay increases – but we can help put money back into Canadians’ pockets,” said Yannick Lemay, Tax Expert at H&R Block Canada. “While there’re hundreds of tax credits and benefits, the largest refunds often come from a combination of family benefits, such as the Canada Child Benefit, refundable credits like the Canadian Workers Benefit, and the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, and major deductions, including for RRSP contributions or employment expenses. The good news is that last year, we helped around 70% of Canadians get a refund. We hope to help even more Canadians get a refund this tax season.”

2026 H&R Block Survey - Key Findings Among Working Canadians:

Nearly half of working Canadians (46%) are as private about their income as they are their nudity: Despite feeling wildly private about others knowing their salary, many working Canadians are keen to know the salaries of their peers - with 44% saying they try to find out what their peers are earning to asses if their own income is fair or not.

Canadians have polarizing views when it comes to loving their job: Nearly two-thirds (64%) of working Canadians say they love their job. This is despite 71% of Canadians who feel employers have less focus on work-life balance in today’s reality, and 50% of those working who report feeling burnt out in their job. Regardless of their career path, 58% say they sometimes have job remorse, regretting that they didn’t take a different career path.

Canadians are divided on how they feel about pay: Working Canadians have conflicting views about their current pay level, with 51% who feel they’re fairly paid by their employer versus 49% who feel underpaid. Overall, 70% believe their income isn’t reflective of today’s high costs of living. More than a third (35%) of Canadians say they can’t stretch their paycheque to see them through to their next paycheque, often needing to use credit cards, overdrafts, and bridging loans until their next pay day. The survey reveals this is a bigger issue for Canadians in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba at 42%, followed by Quebec (39%), Atlantic Canada (36%), Ontario (31%), and British Columbia (28%).

More than half of working Canadians say they’d work harder if they were paid more: Overall, 63% say if they were paid more they’d be more motivated to work harder. Over two in five (44%) say their frustration with their pay makes them less willing to work harder. This sentiment is more prevalent among younger Canadians at 47% among 18-34 year olds), compared to 38% among those aged 35-54, and 27% for 55+.

Four in ten working Canadians feel undervalued by their pay level; nearly one third say they’ll look for other work if they don’t get an increase: More than 4 in 10 Canadian (43%) say their salary makes them feel undervalued by their employer; 30% say unless they get a pay increase they’ll look for a new job in the next 12 months (with those aged 18-34 being the most motivated to switch jobs for more pay (39%) followed by 35-54 year-olds (29%), and just 16% of Canadians 55+).

Six in ten working Canadians received a pay increase in the last 12 months; 29% are not holding their breath for one: Among Canadians currently working, 60% received a pay rise in the last 12 months; 49% received an increase without a promotion and 11% received an increased as part of a promotion. Nearly a third of Canadians (29%) haven’t received an increase and don’t expect one in the next 6 months.

Average pay increase was 4.3% with men receiving significantly higher average increases than women: Among Canadians that received an increase, the overall mean average pay increase was 4.3%. Canadians who identify as male received an average 4.9% increase, compared to Canadians who identify as female at 3.7%.

More than 1 in 4 Canadians (27%) felt disappointed or even offended by their pay increase: Overall, 35% of those that received an increase say they felt happy with the amount, 38% felt neutral. Conversely, 21% were disappointed it wasn’t higher and 6% were offended by the increase amount. Nearly half of working Canadians (45%) say they’d be willing to do a job they dislike if it meant earning more money.

Canadians are cynical about employers’ rationale for pay increases – or lack of: A whopping 90% of Canadians say employers often use the excuse of it being a challenging economic time to justify not providing pay increases. Overall, 74% think annual increases are no longer the norm, with 83% who say employers don’t give pay increases as much in today’s reality due to their focus on profits versus retaining employees long-term. Two-thirds of Canadians (67%) say employers are often biased in giving increases to employees they like the most.

H&R Block Canada Points to Key Tax Credits, Benefits and Deductions That Often Drive the Biggest Refunds:

Canada Child Benefit (CCB): One of the largest government payments, which can only be accessed through filing your taxes for the current year, provides tax-free payments to eligible families up to $7,997 per child, $6,748 per child between 6-17, and up to an additional $3,411 for a child with a disability, per year.
Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST Credit): A quarterly credit payment for eligible couples or single Canadians based on household income, to help offset the cost of sales tax. Payments are up to around $700 for single adults, and up to around $1,400 for a family of four including the one-time payment being made this spring, but can only be received with a current tax return.
Canada Workers Benefit (CWB): A refundable tax credit for modest-income individuals and families based on adjusted family net income, for up to $1,633 for single Canadians and $2,813 for families, and supplement of up to $843 for people with a disability. Amounts vary in Alberta, Nunavut and Quebec.
Disability Tax Credit (DTC): Up to $10,138 for adults with a disability or supporting family members, and up to $16,052 for children under 18, with a $5,914 child disability supplement.
Tuition and Education Credits: A credit of up to 14.5% of eligible fees and student loan interest. If recipients don’t claim the full amount, they can carry the credit forward for future use or transfer up to $5,000 to a family member.
Medical Expense Tax Credit: Covers the cost of multiple medical related expenses (prescriptions, dental, fertility treatments, etc.) above a threshold of the lesser of $2,834 in 2025 - or 3% of your net income.
Child Care Expense Deduction: Parents can deduct childcare costs incurred to work or attend school, up to $8,000 per child under 7, $5,000 per child aged 7-16, and $11,000 for children eligible for the Disability Tax Credit.
RRSP Contributions: Canadians accumulate contribution rights up to 18% of earned income or a max of $32,490 (whichever is lower) per year to reduce taxable income. Contributing to RRSPs can also lead to large refunds when contributions push income into lower tax brackets.

About the survey
These findings are from a survey conducted by H&R Block from Feb. 19-23, 2026, among a representative sample of 1545 Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-2.53 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. In some cases, data is rebased to exclude respondents the question did not apply to.

About H&R Block Canada: A trusted partner of Canadians for over 60 years, H&R Block Canada the market leader in assisted tax preparation. Serving almost 1,000 locations across the country that includes a network of Canadian franchise business owners, H&R Block's team of Tax Experts use the latest in technological advances combined with real-world expertise to help people file taxes in office, file remotely, or use our award-winning tax software, named moneyGenius.ca’s Best Tax Software two years in a row. H&R Block Canada can support in the preparation of personal, small business, corporate, U.S., rental, and estate taxes. H&R Block's comprehensive education program, Tax Academy, ensures our Tax Experts continually update their skills. Learn more at www.hrblock.ca or 1-800-HRBLOCK.   

For more information, contact: H&R Block c/o Ketchum: hrblockmediainquiries@ketchum.com  

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