Eight in 10 parents now budget year-round, and fewer chase the last-minute sale
Canadian parents spend an average of $9,080 per child each year on education-related costs including food, school supplies, and extracurriculars, an increase of 18 percent since 2024.
Capital One Canada's latest back-to-school survey puts the figure at $8,836 in 2025 and $7,709 in 2024.
Eighty percent of parents have adopted year-round budgeting strategies and 59 percent report that ongoing school expenses run higher than they expected.
Capital One Canada describes families as planning across the full school year for recurring costs such as lunches, extracurriculars, technology updates, and mid-year supplies rather than concentrating spending in a single late-summer trip.
"Canadian parents are taking a proactive, year-round approach to back-to-school spending," said Becca Mintz, managing vice president at Capital One Canada, in the company's release.
She said families set aside funds in advance and use credit to manage expenses rather than relying on last-minute fixes.
Fifty-one percent of parents feel stressed about back-to-school spending, up from 45 percent in 2025, while 49 percent say improved budgeting has strengthened their financial situation compared with past years.
Fifty-nine percent are looking for back-to-school sales or coupons this year, down nine percentage points from 68 percent in 2025.
Capital One Canada reports that 47 percent start saving well in advance and 45 percent maintain dedicated savings for back-to-school purchases.
Food accounts for the single largest annual expense at 40 percent of school-related spending, or $3,631 per child.
Parents anticipate upfront spending of $725 per child on lunches and snacks, $856 on sports and extracurricular activities, and $473 on technology.
Parents in Atlantic Canada report the highest annual food spend at $4,037 per child.
Quebec parents report the highest spend on extracurriculars, daycare, and school fees at $1,978 per child.
Ontario records the highest use of dedicated savings, at 51 percent of parents, against 35 percent in Atlantic Canada and 38 percent in Quebec.
Eighty-two percent of parents involve their children in back-to-school budgeting in some capacity, the survey found, and 45 percent use those discussions specifically to build financial responsibility.
