Despite the economic downturn, retailers in Canada could get a boost this fall as families plan to spend as much on back-to-school shopping as they did last year, a recent Scotiabank survey reveals.

The survey of 1,000 Canadians with children in pre-school through grade 12 found that respondents are planning to spend an average of $310, around the same as last year, to get their children ready for going back-to-school.

The survey results confirm expectations of some industry watchers, who call for back-to-school sales to be roughly on par with last year’s results.

“While the summer overall appeared to be a miss for most apparel retailers, early indications are that the fall is performing better than expected,” said a recent report by retail consulting company J.C. Williams Group. “Pent-up demand and cool weather are helping retailers regain some traction lost in the spring and summer.”

The survey showed that regionally, parents in Quebec plan to spend more on getting their children ready for back-to-school, at an average of $399, than those in the rest of Canada. Parents in Ontario anticipate spending the least, at an average of $266.

Throughout the year, parents expect to spend an additional $406 on school-related incidentals, the survey by Harris/Decima found. From field trips to pizza lunches, incidentals affect all parents with school age children.

“Spending by Canadian households on school-related goods and services typically is more stable than other discretionary purchases in both good and not so good times,” said Aron Gampel, Scotiabank’s deputy chief economist. “Although cost-conscious Canadian families will look to stretch their purchasing power, allocating hard-earned spending dollars on education takes on added importance during these challenging times.”

Parents in Alberta expect to spend $471 on incidentals throughout the year, more than any other province. Manitoba and Saskatchewan residents plan to spend the least, at an average of $337.

But a significant 71% of parents across the country admitted that they have not budgeted for these school-related incidentals, noted Gillian Riley, Scotiabank’s managing director and head of retail deposits and services.

“Incidental costs during the school year are not always top of mind for parents, but can add up and therefore are important to plan for,” she said. She encourages parents to plan for such costs by setting aside money on a regular basis.

IE