26% of Canadian small business owners pledge personal guarantees for financing, Equifax finds
EFX•Equifax’s Oct. 22, 2026, survey found 26% of Canadian small-business owners had provided personal guarantees for financing, while 21% had applied for or opened a personal line of credit as a business safety net over two years.
1. Personal credit for business
The survey found that 54% of owners aged 18–34 had been required to provide personal guarantees, compared with 15% of owners aged 55 or older. Among owners using personal credit lines or guarantees for business, 45% reported effects on their personal finances; customer acquisition or retention was the leading challenge, cited by 53%, followed by rising operating costs at 48%.
