Summer Camp Crunch: Why Parents Are Paying More Than Ever

Summer used to feel simple—long days at the pool, neighbourhood freedom, and affordable camps that filled the gaps. Now, it’s a logistical and financial nightmare. Costs for day and overnight camps have surged beyond inflation, leaving families scrambling to piece together childcare—sometimes even going into debt to pay for six weeks of summer camp that cost more than a car. What was once a shared universal experience is increasingly becoming divided between the haves and have-nots. Is there an end in sight?