Back to School should be Excitement, not Anxiety

As another Canadian summer comes to an end, families across Canada have geared up for the start of a new school year. In Provencher, young kids are abuzz with excitement, eager to reunite with friends, meet their new teachers, and embark on fresh academic adventures. However, this year’s back-to-school preparations have created a cloud of stress and unaffordability over many Canadian households, turning what should be an exhilarating time into a disheartening ordeal.

Recent data released by Deloitte paints a grim picture of the financial burden facing Canadian families. The average cost of back-to-school shopping per student is estimated to reach a staggering $700. To compound the issue, the cost of essential school supplies has soared by 24% over the past two years. Such exorbitant expenses have left some Canadian families grappling with financial anxiety when they should be embracing the excitement of their children’s education.

Unfortunately, the financial challenges don’t end with the start of the school year. Families will continue to feel the pinch throughout the academic calendar as the prices of basic necessities continue to increase. Bread prices have surged by 8.1%, apples by nearly 8%, and even snacks like cookies and crackers have seen a staggering increase of 12.4%. These escalating costs have made providing nutritious lunches for children further out of reach for some Canadian families.

The strain on family budgets extends beyond school-related expenses, pushing many to cut back extracurriculars and family vacations. A study by Capital One reveals that 45% of Canadian households earning less than $60,000 annually are being forced to forgo essential items. What’s even more disheartening is that 14% of Canadians anticipate having to accumulate debt just to afford school supplies this year.

In this turbulent financial landscape, Canadian families are left to wonder about the decisions made by this Liberal government. While parents grapple with mounting costs, the Trudeau government continues to burden Canadians with the inflationary Carbon Tax and persistent inflation. Gas and grocery prices continue to surge, making everyday life more expensive and challenging.

However, common sense Conservatives are proposing a solution to alleviate the financial strain on Canadian families. Conservatives will pledge to eliminate the Carbon Tax, curtail wasteful government spending, and work to bring down inflation. Conservatives want to empower Canadians with robust paychecks so that the back-to-school season can once again be a time of excitement rather than anxiety.