Almost seven out of 10 Canadians are concerned about how they’ll handle their mortgages, credit card and other debts if interest rates keep rising, according to a national survey for Manulife Bank of Canada.

According to the survey conducted by Maritz Research, three-quarters of respondents say they gained little or no ground in reducing their debts or increasing their savings in the past year.

The national poll of 2,000 Canadians conducted in late September found 68% worried about rising interest rates. Mortgage costs were cited as the lead concern by 27%, followed by another 17% saying credit cards are their biggest worry if rates rise. Eighteen per cent believe car loans, lines of credit or other loans are their top reason to fret, while 29% said they have no financial worries at all.

“What this suggests to us is that most Canadians are looking for ways to simply deal with their debts,” said Roman Fedchyshyn, president and CEO of Manulife Bank of Canada, in a release.

Fully 76% of those surveyed said their total household debt in the past year has stayed the same (53%) or increased (23%). Less than one in five (19%) say they put a dent in their overall household debt in the past year. When asked a separate question about their monthly interest costs, almost four out of five (79%) said they did not know how much cash they pay in monthly interest. The results are very similar, regardless of whether they own a home.

The recent survey by Maritz Research has a margin of error of +/- 2.19%, 19 times out of 20.