The August sun beats down on the Fredericton Food Bank’s parking lot as parents line up earlier each morning. It’s not just groceries they’re seeking these days—it’s notebooks, backpacks, and pencil cases.
“We’ve never seen anything like this,” says Jason Smith, operations manager at the Fredericton Community Kitchen and Food Bank. “Last year we helped about 300 children with school supplies. This year, we’re already past 450 with two weeks still to go.”
The scene playing out in New Brunswick’s capital reflects a troubling reality many Canadian families face as inflation continues to stretch household budgets beyond their breaking points. When essential costs like housing and groceries consume more of the family budget, school supplies become luxury items for many.
Melissa Thompson, a single mother of three, arrived at 7:30 a.m. to ensure her children wouldn’t start the year without proper supplies. “I used to manage fine,” she tells me while her youngest plays with a donated calculator. “But rent went up $300 this year, groceries are through the roof, and my pay hasn’t changed. The kids need these things, and I just can’t swing it all anymore.”
What’s unfolding in Fredericton isn’t isolated. According to Statistics Canada data released last month, essential household expenses have increased 17.3% since 2021, while average wage growth remains below 9% during the same period. This widening gap has pushed more middle-income families to seek assistance for the first time.
The Community Action Group on Homelessness recently published findings showing nearly 22% of Fredericton families now report “sacrificing educational necessities” to cover housing and food costs—up from just 8% in 2019.
Local teacher Andrea Williams has witnessed the impact firsthand. “Children notice when they don’t have the same supplies as their peers. It affects their confidence, their willingness to participate. We try to keep extra supplies, but school budgets are tight too.”
Back at the food bank, volunteers sort through donations, trying to create equitable packages for different grade levels. Colorful backpacks line one wall while composition books and binders fill plastic bins ready for distribution. What’s missing, according to Smith, are the higher-ticket items.
“We’re short on scientific calculators, USB drives, and quality backpacks for older students,” he explains. “Everyone remembers to donate crayons for the little ones, which is wonderful, but teenagers have specific needs that are harder to fill.”
The provincial government announced a school supply subsidy program in June, offering $50 per registered student, but many families report this barely covers basic requirements. Modern school supply lists often include technology components, specialty items for elective courses, and increasingly expensive basics.
Education Minister Dominic Cardy acknowledged the challenge when questioned about rising costs. “We’re monitoring the situation closely,” he stated during a press conference last week. “We recognize families are facing unprecedented economic pressures, and we’re exploring additional support options for the coming year.”
Local businesses have stepped up efforts as well. Staples Fredericton launched an expanded donation program, while TD Bank’s local branch organized a supply drive. But community organizers warn these efforts, while helpful, represent band-aid solutions to a systemic problem.
“When parents must choose between food and notebooks, we’re facing a societal failure, not just a temporary shortage,” says Dr. Elizabeth Murray, economics professor at University of New Brunswick. “The back-to-school season has become a financial breaking point for families already living on the edge.”
For Fredericton Food Bank volunteers, the practical concerns overshadow the policy debates. They’re focused on meeting immediate needs before the school bells ring in September.
“We’re seeing people we’ve never seen before,” notes volunteer coordinator Sarah Mitchell. “Former donors becoming recipients. People with good jobs who simply can’t stretch their paychecks any further. There’s no shame in needing help, especially when the whole economy feels stacked against families.”
As distribution day approaches, donations continue arriving—some from unexpected sources. Local teenagers have organized their own collection drives, and several seniors’ groups have redirected social funds toward school supply purchases.
The community response offers hope, but the underlying challenges remain. As children prepare to return to classrooms across New Brunswick, the true cost of education extends far beyond tuition. For hundreds of Fredericton families, the simple act of preparing children for school has become an increasingly impossible financial hurdle—one that food banks and community organizations are now struggling to help them overcome.
“Every child deserves to start the school year with confidence,” Smith says, watching volunteers pack the day’s distribution boxes. “We’ll keep doing whatever it takes to make that happen.”
