Saskatchewan households spend more money on their cellphone bills, laundry detergent and even cereal compared to the national average, according to a report released Friday.
Statistics Canada found Saskatchewan households on average spent almost $66 thousand on goods and services in 2015, which ranked only behind Alberta. The national average was roughly $60,500.
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Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce executive director Kent Smith-Windsor said the report is a strong economic indicator for the province and the city even at present day, since Saskatoon has experienced growth since 2015.
The report found that Saskatchewan households spent 23.1 per cent of their goods and services budget on transportation, while spending 26 per cent on shelter. Cody Sharp, the coordinator of Living Wage Saskatoon, said neither number surprised him.
“There is a lag between the vacancy rate and actual rental rates,” Sharp said.
“The vacancy rate is up, but rents aren’t actually coming down a heck of a lot yet.”
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Sharp’s group has researched the cost of living in Saskatoon and said that the Stats Canada report also points to the fact that essential services in Saskatoon, like child care, can be expensive.
“Cost of living in Saskatoon is high,” Sharp said.
“It’s been growing, steadily growing for at least a decade now.”