BMO Bank of Montreal has reported that 54 percent of Canadians will engage in some form of back-to-school shopping this year.

That's down from 62 percent two years ago.

The data was compiled by Pollara Strategic Insights.

According to this research, $167 will be spent per B.C. child in kindergarten or elementary school. That's above the national average of $158 but well below the $265 per child spending in Atlantic Canada.

For secondary school students, the national per capita average is $215 but in B.C., only $154 will be spent.

B.C. is also below the national average on back-to-school spending for postsecondary students at $321, compared to $369 across the country.