Halloween candy prices up, police share tips to keep trick-or-treaters safe

This year’s Halloween trick or treating falls on a Friday night. Thousands of kids will fill neighbourhoods walking the streets, crossing intersections and going door-to-door.

Safety and the cost of candy and chocolates are all hot topics around this time of year.

“Costs have gone up by ten to 20 per cent across the board,” said Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Club at Dalhousie University.

Despite the prices of Halloween treats costing more this year, people will still be buying them. And for the kids, it’s trick or treat as usual.

Charlebois says the joy of celebrating Halloween outweighs paying an extra $29 to $40 for chocolates and candies.

“It’s just seeing kids that are happy, excited. And on a Friday night, I think a lot of people will just overlook the cost of candy,” said Charlebois.

Saturday, excited kids in Hamilton’s east end walked down the street for some sweet treats in broad daylight. Some business owners were happy to help fill their loot bags and buckets.

But on Halloween night, local officials are reminding parents to take precautions while kids trick-or-treat after dark.

“A lot of kids wear masks with their uniform or with their outfit, so just make sure that they can see clearly, look both ways when they’re crossing the street,” said Const. Sherri Marshall with the Hamilton police.

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Halloween is an exciting time for many but it’s also one of those high risk nights for kids. Children are twice as likely to be involved in traffic accidents on Halloween night.

In fact, according to Statistics Canada, one in five pedestrian fatalities happened at intersections from 2018 to 2020. And 21 per cent of those fatalities involved a pedestrian wearing dark clothing.

“In the planning of your costume you can look to incorporate light, such as glow sticks. And you can also include flashlights, as well as reflective material. That really helps motorists see you out there,” said Const. J. Martin with Niagara police.

Niagara police also recommend working on a safe length for costumes.

“Sometimes it goes unconsidered but costumes can be tripping hazards as well in the community,” said Const. J. Martin.

Police say adult supervision is also essential for safe trick or treating.

While every year police see social media posts about foreign objects in candy, it’s pretty rare they find anything.

“Last year we only had one reported incident and it appears to have been accidental,” said Const. J. Martin.

This Halloween, keeping the spooky little ghosts, goblins and ghouls safe is everyone’s responsibility to share.

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