More Canadians confident of finances

Canadians' financial confidence is growing, with 70 percent feeling good about the year ahead, a 6 percent jump from a year ago, a poll indicates. The CIBC poll conducted by Harris/Decima found residents of Ontario -- 74 percent -- and the Prairies -- at 75 percent -- are among the most positive in the country when it comes to their current financial situation. More Canadians also are feeling better about their longer-term financial goals. The poll found 74 percent said they were confident they would reach their future financial goals, up 2 percentage points from last year. More Canadians are also taking their own advice and setting goals for the year, with 61 percent of respondents saying they generally set financial goals for themselves, compared with 51 percent two years ago. "Canadians are entering 2013 with a more positive outlook on their finances today, and with the confidence that they can reach their long-term financial goals," Christina Kramer, executive vice president at CIBC, one of Canada's largest banks, said in a statement. Each week, Harris/Decima interviews more than 1,000 Canadians via teleVox, the company's national telephone omnibus survey. These survey of 2,009 Canadians between Oct. 25 to Nov. 4, had a margin of error of 2.2 percentage points.