The price of everything — except post-secondary course materials — is rising
Toronto, Ont. — In a time when prices for virtually everything are on the rise, the cost of published classroom resources for post-secondary students is bucking the trend, dropping by almost a third over the past decade.
The cost of published course materials — including digital resources, traditional textbooks and blended packages — has decreased by more than 12 per cent over the past decade; adjusted for inflation it is a price drop of nearly 30 per cent. In direct contrast, the cost of living in Canada increased 25 per cent over that same period.
“The publishers of course materials for post-secondary students are sensitive to the rising cost of education and have been pushing back against inflation through cost reductions for the resources they produce,” says David Swail, President of the Canadian Publishers’ Council. “Our industry is committed to access and affordability, and a shift to more dynamic digital resources has allowed us to deliver significant savings while improving the classroom experience for both students and instructors compared to printed textbooks.”
The increasing cost burden on students was also noted by the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance. In its Shared Perspectives report, it noted post-secondary students have faced significant year-over-year increases, with rents increasing 46 per cent, groceries and living expenses up 27 per cent, school-related expenses up five per cent and transportation costs jumping by four per cent.
Meanwhile, costs associated with publisher-developed textbooks and digital materials peaked in 2015 and have been steadily decreasing ever since.
Not only do learning resources provided by publishers buck the inflation trend, they are providing increasing value to the student learning experience — high-quality and personalized, they are designed with a clear focus on maximizing student achievement. This includes:
- Integrated Learning Tools — Publisher-provided materials come equipped with strong course management and assessment tools embedded alongside the content that not only simplify, but also provide opportunity to adjust and optimize the learning process for both instructors and students.
- Seamless Experience — Unlike traditional textbooks, which served primarily as isolated content delivery tools, modern publisher materials can be accessed on multiple devices to support student engagement and success.
- Supporting Success — These resources do more than just support students in the classroom; they also play a crucial role in preparing students for their chosen career path by ensuring students truly understand the content, not just remember it for test time.
“Publisher-provided course materials are developed with strict editorial, academic and quality assurance processes in place,” says Mr. Swail. “The traditional textbook and readily available online resources have high quality content, but that’s all they have. In today’s education environment, commercial course materials offer that same content along with technology-driven solutions that enhance educational outcomes for students.”
The Canadian Publishers’ Council remains dedicated to providing top-tier educational resources that support student success, both academically and beyond.
About the Canadian Publishers’ Council
The Canadian Publishers’ Council, as Canada’s main English-language book publishing trade association, represents the interests of publishing companies that publish books and other media for elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, professional and reference markets, the retail and library sectors. Founded in 1910, its members employ more than 2,800 Canadians, collectively account for nearly three-quarters of all domestic sales of English-language books and pay more than $25 million in royalties to Canada’s writers.
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