Some parents facing affordability challenges with increased school supply prices
With the first day of classes looming, some parents shopping for school supplies are facing affodability challenges with higher priced essentials.
The Salvation Army backpack program provides bags filled with supplies for those who can’t afford to buy their own. This year, there’s a combination of factors that have increased demand.
“It is unprecedented. I know last year we had significant phone calls, but this year has even gone beyond that,” Salvation Army Temple Lt. Derek Kerr said.
All the donations to the Salvation Army program is provided by donors. The group typically aims to give out 1,500 backpacks.
“We could’ve probably doubled that,” Kerr said.
Kerr is attributing up the increased need to what they’re hearing from recipients.
“The cost of school supplies, like everything else, has increased significantly over the past year,” he said.
School supplies shoppers tended to agree.
“Some things (have) similar (costs) and some items seems more expensive for sure,” Lindsay Kelleher said as she shopped for her two children.
Kelleher spent over $100 on just one bag of supplies. She found glue sticks to be quite expensive compared to other years and with children in Grade 1 and Grade 4, those are essentials on the list.
The pandemic is also playing a part, according to other shoppers noting the return to a regular in-person schedule of classes and a lack of restrictions for the first school year since 2019.
At the Salvation Army, staff were prepping for distribution next week and looking ahead to next year with increased demand.
“So hopefully next year we’ll be able to increase that number and help more children,” Kerr said.
The first day of classes for Saskatoon Public Schools and Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools is Sept. 1.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
BREAKING Former Air Canada employees among suspects identified in gold heist at Pearson airport: police
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
MPs summon ArriveCan contractor to the House to be admonished in rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archaeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.
Some millennials say federal budget was 'a letdown' amid cost of living struggles
It’s a picture-perfect scene: Adam and Maria Reynolds are playing with their daughters inside their Port Coquitlam, B.C. home. Watching them together, you might not realize the Reynolds household is stretched to its limit.