One of the very first questions that people wonder when considering homeschooling is if it is legal to homeschool in Canada. This is a valid concern – especially since there are places where you aren’t allowed to homeschool at all. But I have good news.
Homeschooling is legal in every province and territory of Canada. However, each province has different regulations and requirements set in place – and it’s important to know what exactly is expected of you in order to meet those regulations.
For some, it’s as simple as informing the school board of your decision to homeschool. For others, you need to provide a specific learning plan and submit reports or portfolios throughout the school year.
Let’s explore what each province requires in order for you to homeschool.
The Legalities of Homeschooling in Canada
It is important to know what is expected of you in the province you live in so that you can homeschool legally.
*Please note that homeschooling laws can change unexpectedly, so while I do my best to stay up to date with information, always make sure to do your own due diligence and confirm the current regulations in your province in order to stay within legal compliance.*
Here is a quick reference summary of each province.
| British Columbia | Registration must be submitted by September 30th of each school year |
| Alberta | Supervised: Notification to an associate school board by September 30th every school year + two formal evaluations by certified teachers throughout the year. Unsupervised: Notification to the Minister of Education by September 30th. |
| Saskatchewan | A letter of intent and written education plan must be submitted to the school division by August 15th of each school year. At the end of the year, an annual report is required to be completed by a parent. |
| Manitoba | Notification must be submitted by September 1st of each school year. Progress reports are due by the end of January and June. |
| Ontario | A letter of intent may be sent to the local school board each year. |
| Quebec | Annual obligations include notification by July 1st to the DEM, followed by a learning plan, mid-term report, and final report. Throughout the year, you will need to meet with your assigned DEM. Your child will need to complete an evaluation as well. |
| New Brunswick | Submit an Annual Home Schooling Application Form by September 29th to the school district office. |
| Prince Edward Island | Submit a notice of intent to the Department of Education and Lifelong Learning before the school year begins. |
| Nova Scotia | Complete a Home Schooling Education Form each year by September 20th in order to register with the Department of Education and submit an annual report in June which outlines the progress of your child through the year. |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | Submit an application form which includes a detailed Education Program Outline for all core and additional subjects. Curriculum must be chosen from approved resources by the Department of Education. Submit progress reports throughout the year. |
| Nunavut | Register with a school. Create a learning plan that lines up with the curriculum standards set out by the Ministry of Education and work with the principal to submit progress reports and for assessments. |
| Northwest Territories | Register with a school. Create a learning plan that lines up with the curriculum standards set out by the Ministry of Education and work with the principal to submit progress reports and for assessments. |
| Yukon | English: Register with Aurora Virtual School (AVS) and submit a learning plan for each subject by September 30th. French: Register with Ecole Nomade by May 15th and submit your learning plan for each subject by September 30th. |
Need more information? Find your province / territory for more details about the laws and regulations.
Homeschooling Regulations In British Columbia
In British Columbia, home education laws are found in the BC School Act under Part 2, Division 4. The law requires homeschoolers to “register the child on or before September 30 in each year.”
There are several options for where you can register, including public school, an online public school, an independent online school, and an independent school. It depends on what your homeschooling goals and plans are for which option you choose, but the British Columbia Home Educators’ Association website has a list of where you can register.
What if you decide to homeschool in BC after September 30th?
You are able to pull your child out of the school system at any point in the school year. BCHEA recommends sending a letter to your school principal with the change so they can update your status to registered homeschooler or you can transfer to one of the independent schools on their list mentioned above.
Homeschooling Regulations in Alberta
In Alberta, home education regulations are listed in the Home Education Regulation Act.
Parents have two options to choose from:
- Supervised by a school authority
- Unsupervised
The Home Education Handbook provided by the government offers information on both options to help you understand and consider which one would be right for your family.
If you decide to go with the supervised option, you are required to send in a notification to a school board of your choice by September 30th. (Here is a list of Associate Boards & Private Independent Schools to consider compiled by the Alberta Home Education Association.) Throughout the year, your child will receive two formal evaluations of their portfolio from a certified teacher to confirm their progress.
If you choose to be unsupervised, you are required to send a notification to the Minister of Education by September 30th and then homeschool as you prefer through the year.
What if you decide to homeschool in AB after September 30th?
If you opt to start homeschooling in Alberta after September 30th, it is recommended that you go the unsupervised route and send your notification through to the minister of education for the remainder of the year, however you can also work with your school board to see if they will offer support and resources if you stay with them.
Homeschooling Regulations in Saskatchewan
Homeschoolers in Saskatchewan are required to complete a registration form, an education plan, and end of year reports. This information is provided in the Home Based Education: Policies and Procedures Manual
By August 15th, parents choosing to register need to submit both a letter of intent and a written education plan to their school division. This plan needs to include your approach to learning, details about how you want to handle evaluation, and broad goals for the core subjects. Near the end of the school year, you must complete an annual progress report based on the decisions you chose in the plan – either a portfolio of work or a standardized test.
Easy-to-use forms and details of what you need to include are available from the Saskatchewan Home-Based Educators website. They have put together a complete guide to filling out each form.
What if you decide to homeschool in SK after August 15th?
You are able to remove your child from school to homeschool at any point throughout the year, however you need to give the school division at least 30 days notice. Complete the appropriate steps above regarding filing, dating it for 30 days from when you file.
Homeschooling Regulations in Manitoba
In Manitoba, home education is regulated under the Public Schools Act and applies to any child who is between the ages of 7 (or turning 7 by Dec 31 of a school year) and 18.
Homeschoolers are required to submit a notification letter to the Minister of Education by September 1st every year. This report is available online. Once received, you will be assigned a liaison officer who is available for support as needed. In January and in June, you must complete a progress report – which is also available online. Everything you need to do is outlined simply on the Manitoba Education website.
What if you decide to homeschool in MB after September 1?
If you are pulling your child out of the school system at any point during the year, you need to complete the same notification letter as above for the Minister of Education and it is recommended that you also inform the school your child is registered in (although this is not required.) Notification must be completed 30 days before you begin homeschooling.
Homeschooling Regulations in Ontario
Homeschoolers in Ontario may withdraw their child at any time throughout the school year. If your child has never been in the school system, you are not required to notify anyone. If you have decided to homeschool, you may choose to send a letter of intent to your local school board to let them know. This is not law or regulation – but a policy as part of the Policy/Program Memorandum 131 which outlines homeschooling procedures in the province. Although you are not obligated to submit notification – you may decide to in order to keep a record for legal purposes or to have access to certain resources.
You can use a template of a letter of intent from the Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents’ website or the first page of the form Appendix B of the PPM131. You are not required to provide a teaching plan or materials list or anything other than the basic information of your child’s name, date of birth, gender, and your parental contact information. You are not required to meet with anyone for approval.
Once submitted, you usually receive a letter of acknowledgement from the school board to keep for your records.
Homeschooling Regulations in Quebec
Quebec is one of the highest regulation provinces in Canada. Homeschooling regulations are outlined in the Education Act for children between the ages of 6 and 16. There are several steps and obligations required of homeschoolers in this province.
You may choose to homeschool at any point throughout the school year.
- Notification: Due to the Direction de l’enseignement à la maison (DEM) by July 1st or 10 days after deciding to homeschool.
- Learning Project: An overview of the school plan for the year is due to the DEM by September 30 or 30 days after deciding to homeschool.
- A Mid-Term Report is due halfway through the school year and an End of Term Report is due by June 15.
- Monitor Meetings are held sometime through the year.
- Final Evaluation at the end of the year by a certified teacher, private school or a school centre, exam, or a student portfolio
It is highly recommended to use the resources available on the AQED website as it is thorough with examples and wording recommendations, links to helpful resources and support systems, and more.
Homeschooling Regulations in New Brunswick
In New Brunswick, homeschooling families need to submit an Annual Home Schooling Application Form by September 29th to the school district office. This form is available online. (This link may change.) There is also a Francophone edition of this form.
Here is a list of Anglophone and Francophone School Districts.
This form does ask you to take responsibility for your child’s education, including a list of what elements that could include – such as subjects, testing, field trips, etc. It does not require specific details to outline your plan, however.
You can find a handy Homeschooling in New Brunswick brochure from the Government of New Brunswick, which outlines what you need to know, and the Home Educators of New Brunswick Association has more information about the Legal Information For Homeschooling in New Brunswick.
Homeschooling Regulations in Prince Edward Island
As outlined in the Education Act Homeschool Regulations for Prince Edward Island, you need to submit a notice of intent to the Department of Education and Lifelong Learning before the school year begins.
A unique feature of homeschooling in Prince Edward Island is that you can choose whether to use your own curriculum options or request the use of the same resources as the public school system. There is a deposit of $50 required with your request for these resources which will be refunded upon safe return.
Homeschooling Regulations in Nova Scotia
In Nova Scotia, homeschoolers are required to complete a Home Schooling Education Form each year by September 20th in order to register with the Department of Education. This form can be filled out online or printed out and mailed to the Regional Education Services office in Halifax.
The Education Reform Act also requires homeschoolers to submit an annual report in June which outlines the progress of your child through the year. Homeschooling in Nova Scotia has a few ideas on how to complete these forms or you can see samples on the Department of Education website where you download the report forms.
The Nova Scotia Home Education Association (NSHEA) has helpful information on getting started with homeschooling Nova Scotia.
What if you decide to homeschool in NS after September 20th?
If you choose to begin homeschooling once the school year is underway, simply send in your form right away. The deadline doesn’t apply in this situation – however, you will still be required to complete the end of year report of your child’s progress.
Homeschooling Regulations in Newfoundland & Labrador
In Newfoundland and Labrador, Anglophone homeschooling is regulated by NLESD Homeschooling Policy and NLESD Homeschooling Admin Procedures and Regulations in PROG 312.
This policy requires homeschoolers in the province to submit an application form which includes a detailed Education Program Outline for all core and additional subjects. Curriculum must be chosen from approved resources by the Department of Education. (Listed at the bottom of the policies form.) One option is to use the materials provided for the public school system, if you choose. If you decide to use alternative options which haven’t been approved, you must request an assessment of the materials.
This application form is sent to the homeschooling coordinator in your district. You can find a list of Anglophone districts here. The coordinator will then consider your application and, if they feel that the plan is adequate for the child, will approve it.
Once approved, your coordinator typically connects you with a local school which follows your child through the year. You will be required to submit progress reports – the number of which varies according to how many years you have been homeschooling. The first year requires up to three.
Note that homeschool applications will not be accepted after Easter Break unless there are extreme circumstances.
Homeschooling Regulations in Nunavut
Home Schooling Regulations for Nunavut are outlined in the Education Act. This document offers clear guidelines for parents and school staff to follow. Homeschooling is supervised by a district education authority. You need to register with a school to begin. From there, you must ensure that your learning plan covers the curriculum standards set out by the Ministry of Education. You work with the principal of your school for evaluations and assessments, plus submissions and discussions about samples of your child’s progress twice in the year.
Homeschooling Regulations in the Northwest Territories
Homeschoolers in the Northwest Territories follow the regulations set out on their Education Act – which is almost identical to the one for Nunavut. This document has clear guidelines for both parents and schools to follow. The first step is to register with your school and make a learning plan that ensures you are covering the curriculum standards set out by the Ministry of Education. You work with the principal of your school throughout the year with submitted samples of work for assessments and evaluations.
Homeschooling Regulations in the Yukon
In the Yukon, homeschooling is allowed under the Education Act (Section 31).
To homeschool in English, you must register through a program called Aurora Virtual School (AVS) by September 30th of each year. To homeschool in French, you must register through Ecole Nomade by May 15th of each year. Once registered, you need to complete a home education plan for each subject which also must be submitted no later than September 30th.
What if you decide to homeschool in YK after September 30th?
You can choose to homeschool at any time throughout the school year. Complete the requirements at that time. If you decide to continue homeschooling into the next school year, it is recommended to complete your registration for the fall by May 15th.
Legal Support for Homeschoolers in Canada
There are a few options available to homeschoolers in Canada in regards to the legal side of the experience.
One popular resource is the Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada. This is a non-profit organization which provides legal services and homeschool support to members. They often work with provincial governments to ensure the rights of the homeschoolers who live there as policies and laws which may impact them are being discussed and changed.
Most provinces have a homeschooling association whose main purpose is to be aware of what is going on for their local homeschooling communities. They are usually up-to-date with the laws and policies being made in their provincial governments and often work with the policy makers to ensure the best interest of the homeschooling communities. It is recommended to check in with one of these associations to know current regulations for where you live.
- British Columbia – BCHEA
- Alberta – AHEA / Alberta Homeschool Association
- Saskatchewan – SHBE
- Manitoba – MASH / MACHS
- Ontario – OFTP
- Quebec – AQED
- New Brunswick – HENB
- PEI –
- Nova Scotia – NSHEA
- Newfoundland & Labrador –
- Nunavut –
- Northwest Territories –
- Yukon –
Even thought it’s completely legal to homeschool in Canada, it requires an understanding of the laws and regulations that vary from province to province. It’s crucial to stay informed, connect with local homeschooling communities, and, if necessary, seek legal advice to ensure compliance with the specific regulations in your area.
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