How much are Canadian families (really) spending on extracurricular activities—and can they afford it?

When Christine Perry* of Burlington, Ontario put her then-3-year-old daughter in dance lessons, she was living out a childhood dream. Her own parents hadn’t been able to register her in extracurricular activities, and Christine was determined to give her kids some of the experiences she felt her childhood lacked. Christine went on to welcome two more daughters and eventually, all three girls were enrolled at the same local dance studio.“Unfortunately, they ended up liking it,”