Canada's National Debt
Historical Debt Analysis
Economic Periods (1930-2025)
Major economic eras are highlighted with background shading
Real-time Updates
Our debt clock calculates accumulation based on the latest fiscal monitor data from the Department of Finance Canada.
Historical Context
Explore over 155 years of fiscal data from Confederation (1867) to today with interactive charts showing major economic events and their impact on national debt.
Transparent Data
All data sourced from official government publications including the Fiscal Monitor and Annual Financial Reports.
About Canada Debt Clock
The Canada Debt Clock provides real-time visualization of Canada's federal government debt, calculated using the most recent data from the Department of Finance Canada's Fiscal Monitor reports.
Our comprehensive historical analysis spans over 155 years (1867-2025), covering major economic events from Confederation and the building of the railway through World War I and II, the Great Depression, modern financial crises, and the COVID-19 pandemic, using official government data from Statistics Canada and the Department of Finance.
Key Features:
- Real-time debt accumulation based on latest fiscal data
- Historical debt trends spanning 155+ years from Confederation (1867-2025)
- Economic event annotations including WWII, Great Depression, and modern crises
- Debt-to-GDP ratios and per-capita calculations
- Interactive charts with zoom, pan, and detailed tooltips
- Mobile-responsive design for all devices
Data Sources & Methodology
Department of Finance Canada
Statistics Canada
Calculation Methodology
Debt Accumulation Rate
Based on the most recent fiscal year's budgetary balance (deficit/surplus) divided by the number of seconds in a year to show real-time accumulation.
Per Capita Calculation
Total federal debt divided by Canada's current population estimate from Statistics Canada.
Debt-to-GDP Ratio
Federal government net debt as a percentage of nominal Gross Domestic Product.