The age of majority (legal coming of age) differs between provinces, for some it’s 18, others 19.
All children are covered by Provincial Health Insurance and have free schooling up to graduation. Education is compulsory up to the age of 16 in every province in Canada, except for Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick, where the compulsory age is 18, or as soon as a high school diploma has been achieved. In some provinces early leaving exemptions can be granted under certain circumstances at 14. Canada generally has 190 school days in the year, officially starting in September to the end of June.
The age that children can be incorporated into your PR application has recently changed and is now under 19. Above this age, sons and daughters will have to apply separately.
If you apply for a work permit outside Canada, dependents will require a Study Permit to attend school, if applying in Canada this is not required.
Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) is paid tax free to parents/ Guardians at a rate of $100 per child under 6. The Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) also administers, on behalf of the Provinces, Means tested additional child support programs.
School holidays are longer in summer (9-10 weeks) and there is a week’s March Break, but unlike the UK, there are no ‘half terms’. Many areas have summer camps where children can be enrolled in activities as diverse as Kayaking to Theatre.
Nurseries are generally called ‘Daycare’ and run from new-born to the age of 5 (when children start school).
In many areas, children are transported to/ from school via a yellow school bus; different municipalities will have different criteria as to the distance away from the school this is available to pupils. It should also be noted that motorists must stop a specified distance behind a school bus when it stops and its hazard lights and stop sign are active (this is usually 20m).