Parents in B.C. face new school year with growing back-to-school expenses

Parents are buying back-to-school items with classes just weeks away but Statistics Canada says a number of those items are getting pricier.

The agency reports costs of textbooks and supplies are up 2.8 per cent; courses like music lessons or martial arts classes, up 5.6 per cent; and stationery supplies up 12.9 per cent, from July 2022 to July 2023.

But like many kids's backpacks, the numbers are a mixed bag: clothing and shoes stayed about the same, while prices for computer equipment went down 10.5 per cent year over year, and cell phone service went down 14.8 per cent.

Out shopping in Vancouver Tuesday, Natalia Stratulat says she's feeling the pinch as she shops for her two kids, going into Kindergarten and Grade 3.

Natalia Stratulat says she tries to save money on back-to-school items that are still usable, but her child in Kindergarten needs many new things. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)

"The clothes, that's one thing … and shoes too," Stratulat said. "For a good pair of shoes the prices are quite high."

Yang Yu, a mom of two university students, said she's noticed the hikes too, even on basic items like pens and notebooks.

"You definitely see the jump," Yu said, adding the sticker shock has her thinking about families of lesser means.

Yang Yu says she's noticed even basic items costing more — especially if they're made to last. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)

"You see the price not only for school supplies and also for daily living, right? You just feel the struggle."

Parents, non-profits and the B.C.'s teachers union all said back-to-school expenses this year are being made worse by higher, bigger costs on other essentials.

Expenses for parents and teachers

B.C. Teacher's Federation President Clint Johnston says back-to-school season sees teachers spending their own money to buy supplies for the kids in their classes.

"A lot of what we would think of as pretty basic things aren't provided anymore," Johnston said. "You're going to be buying lots of art supplies if you want to do anything like that."

And he says there are expenses beyond the academic.

"Like food," he said. "Because [teachers] are very aware that there will be students coming to the classroom who routinely don't have adequate food."

Jenn Bateman, manager of single mother services for the Metro Vancouver YWCA says for many of her organization's clients, back-to-school expenses are a challenge.

"Transportation costs and housing costs and groceries make everything else really tough to come up with those extra funds that you really need this time of year," Bateman said.

"I just think affordability has become even more difficult this year, more than ever before."

Walia, third from left, in a handout photo from the weekend's kickoff to the school supply drive. Walia said the drive has gathered a large amount of a variety of items which will be sent to the Delta and Surrey school districts for distribution to kids in need. (Guru Nanak Food Bank)

The YWCA is seeking donations of school supplies for the kids of moms in need.

The Guru Nanak Food Bank has been taking in supplies to fill backpacks for Delta and Surrey students in need since the weekend.

"We got a lot of pencils, erasers, sharpeners, sticky notes, calculators … backpacks, gift cards, printers," director secretary Nirraj Walia said.

"People, [that are] coming here to the food bank for food, they are concerned about their supplies as their kids are almost ready to go back to school."

$214M for school food over 3 years

B.C.'s education ministry says "unprecedented" investments for families struggling with school costs are being made.

It highlights what it calls stable, multi-year funding through the Feeding Futures program, "B.C.'s largest-ever investment in school foods programs."

That program will see $214 million spent over three years to buy food for K-12 students, expand school kitchens and hire staff to feed those kids.

The ministry also highlighted a supplement for families receiving assistance payments to help them pay for extra school-related costs that arise in September.

"The Province continues to explore other ways to support families with costs," a ministry email to CBC read.