One in four working Canadians expect to receive a year-end bonus this holiday season.

Most plan to be responsible with the extra cash, the BMO survey found. Just over half said they would invest or pay debt, while 20% said they would cover Christmas spending. Just 9% said they would buy something for themselves, while another 9% said they would take a vacation.

The survey found 86% of those working Canadians who are expecting a bonus believe it will be worth the same or more than last year's.

"Business owners have shown a remarkable resiliency and moved forward with plans to invest and grow their business," said Steve Murphy, senior vice-president of BMO commercial banking.

"In this economic environment, many Canadian business owners are looking to strike the right balance between rewarding the contributions of their employees with the need to maintain efficient business operations."