The Northern and Southern provinces of Canada have many differences with one another, including the specific disparities between the cost of school supplies.
While southern provinces, such as Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec, to name a few, have a variety of school supplies for lower prices, the territories, unfortunately, do not have the same privilege. Like other products, their school supplies are priced higher making it hard for students to have access to these items.
Though it may seem like a small issue, this affects the education of Northern students as they need these supplies to attentively learn in school. A lot of it has to do with transportation costs, for most areas in the northern provinces spend almost 13% of their budgets on transportation for the products they need. The higher the transportation cost, the higher the prices are for products, such as school supplies. This results in a mere pack of pencils and highlighters to cost around $43. Southern provinces, on the other hand, can get the same supplies for around $10-$15, maximum. Since the south has more resources around, the transportation costs are lower, making the prices for the supplies lower as well.
As community members, we can help our neighbours in the north by donating to towns, and youth centres that take in school supplies. Yearly, there are many donation centres around the Northern provinces that take in school supplies before the school year starts. This would prevent them from using too much of their budget on transportation costs, and help us make a difference in their lives as well.
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