Most parents are surprised at just how expensive it can be to raise a family amid the high cost of living in Canada , according to a new survey, which says it’s often the “extras” that can add up fast.

Royal Bank of Canada’s (RBC) latest poll findings show nearly three-quarters, or 72 per cent, of all Canadian respondents are surprised by how much child-related expenses have gone up in the last year.

Nearly two-thirds, or 60 per cent, said their household budgets have never been stretched so thin.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg from the Parent Edition of RBC’s 2025 Family Finances Poll , which was conducted by Angus Reid in July 2025 and released on Tuesday. It featured the participation of just over 1,500 Canadian parents that had at one child between the ages of zero and 17.

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