Canadians’ financial situation still shaky.

A number of financial institutions recently commissioned separate polls on Canadian’s financial well-being and found too many are still near the financial edge.

The Desjardins group commissioned a SOM internet poll of over 3,300 Canadians across the country on their financial knowledge and habits. The annual survey showed very little change in financial habits or knowledge since it was begun in 2011.

It showed 60% of Canadians felt they were not saving enough. Of those in the 55-64 year-old bracket (nearing retirement age), some 50% admit they don’t have a retirement plan, and almost as many (47%) do not have an emergency fund that could support them for at least 3 months.

The BMO Wealth Institute took a Pollara survey of August and found that on average Canadians are woefully lacking in retirement savings. It says that based on Statistics Canada figures, the average senior couple spent about $54,000 in 2009. It says to maintain a  lifestyle at that rate, a couple would have to have saved $1,35 million at retirement.

Many suggestions however put the retirement nest egg between $600 -700 thousand for a couple’s comfortable retirement. However BMO finds that most of the baby boomer generation is about $400-thousand short of that goal and many will have to delay retirement (typically at age 65) to maintain a comfortable retirement.

A new survey just released this week by Sun Life Financial and conducted by Ipsos-Reid, found that a majority of Canadians (57%) say they are no better off financially this year than at the same time last year. The figures were slightly higher among women and seniors aged 55 or older with 61 percent saying they’re not better off financially this year than last.

The annual Sun Financial check-up also found that only 36 percent of Canadians made a contribution to their registered retirement savings plan (RRSP).

The survey found only 38 percent of Canadians who felt they were doing better this year than last