Is education really free in Canada (school, college, etc)? Some say that you just pay for books. Is it true?

Question

Is education really free in Canada (school, college, etc)? Some say that you just pay for books. Is it true?

Answer 1

Education in public schools is free until you finish high school. You don't pay for the actual schooling but may end up paying for books and a few other things, depends what school district and grade you're in. College, university, or any other post-secondary education is not free, though it is usually cheaper than it is in the US if you're a Canadian citizen. If you're not a Canadian citizen but attend a Canadian university which is partly supported by Canadian taxpayers, you'll pay more than a Canadian would.  

Answer 2

Education in Canada is NOT FREE .

Every one of us, who pays taxes, is paying to support the public school system. Every time anyone pays tax on anything they buy, some of that goes towards schools. Every person who owns property, of any kind, pays school taxes , every year, as a part of their property taxes. All business properties pay school  taxes every year.

So no it is NOT free.

Jim B. Toronto.

Answer 3

from elementary to high school is all free but once you get to college or university, you need to start paying money, but its not near as expensive as the US, and we also receive scholarships which helps a lot

Answer 4

Nothing in life is "free".  Tax dollars support the public school system throughout Canada.  From kindergarten through to grade 12, schools are built, maintain and paid for by the provincial governments through a number of bureaucratic layers.  (Ministry of Education, Commissioners of Schools, Boards of Education, etc. etc.)  Obviously that all costs money.  Students generally are only required to provide their own note books (even those are theoretically provided) pens/pencils/miscelaneous school supplys etc etc.

Colleges and universitys are a different thing entirely.  Students (or in most cases their parents) pay the bill for post-secondary education.  Tuitions, books, materials etc.   The only exception that I can think of is aboriginals.  Aboriginals may attend university tuition free.