Canadians say their top three financial priorities are retirement savings, homeownership and regular payments to reduce or eliminate debt, but not everyone puts their money where their priorities are, according to the RBC Financial Priorities Poll.

Forty seven percent of Canadians with homeownership as a priority don't put money towards it. Four-in-ten of those with retirement savings as a priority don't put money towards this goal. Canadians were more successful with their debt reduction, with eight-in-ten putting money toward this priority.

Financial priorities have changed over the past year. More than twice as many Canadian boomers (aged 55 and over) named homeownership as a financial priority compared to a year ago (44 per cent versus 20 per cent from the RBC RRSP Poll conducted in October 2008). Among Canadians aged 35 to 54, homeownership grew in importance, with 44 per cent stating it as a financial priority, compared to 30 per cent in fall 2008.

Although money issues always accompany major life events like job loss, retirement or marriage, 58 per cent of Canadians find the emotional impact of these events to be more significant than the financial impact.