Schools and children in Toronto

How the education system for children works in Toronto

Choosing a school in Toronto is one of the first decisions a family makes after moving. It is easy to get wrong: the system looks straightforward from the outside, but inside it contains forks in the road that shape a child’s real academic experience for years to come. Public education in Toronto is entirely free, yet the choice of school board, neighborhood, and language of instruction affects everything — from the waitlist for kindergarten to university admission.

School boards: TDSB, TCDSB and beyond

Toronto has no single school administration. The system is divided into school boards, and a child is assigned to a specific board automatically — based on their home address.

TDSB (Toronto District School Board) — the largest secular English-language board, serving most areas of the city. This is the default choice for the majority of Russian-speaking families.

TCDSB (Toronto Catholic District School Board) — the Catholic board. Formally open to children of any faith, though the curriculum includes a religious component. Many families choose TCDSB for the reputation of specific schools or smaller class sizes in certain neighborhoods.

TDSB French Immersion — French-language programs within the TDSB. Registration opens in January–February for the following school year. Popular programs have waiting lists. If you are considering an immersion program, apply in your very first year after moving.

For families with children from age 4, note that Junior Kindergarten (JK) begins in the year the child turns 4. It is not mandatory, but in practice nearly universal. Registration is done through your school board’s website in December–January.

Childcare in Toronto: licensed centres and subsidies

Childcare in Toronto is a story in itself, and families here face a genuine shortage of places. Licensed daycare centres serve children from 0 to 4 years old, with costs running from CAD 1,500 to 2,800 per month depending on the neighbourhood and the child’s age.

The federal Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program brings licensed daycare costs down to a target of CAD 10 per day — but not immediately and not everywhere. In 2025–2026, most licensed providers in Ontario are already enrolled in the program, but wait times for good centres can be 12–18 months. You need to join the waitlist before your child is born — that’s not an exaggeration.

An alternative — home daycare (a licensed home-based provider): generally cheaper with shorter wait lists, but quality varies. The register of licensed home daycare providers is available through the City of Toronto.

For children from age 2.5, there are Ontario Early Years Centres — free drop-in programmes that are helpful for language adaptation.

Russian schools in Toronto and bilingual education

Toronto’s Russian-speaking community is large enough to sustain a full supplementary-education infrastructure. A Russian school in Toronto typically means a Saturday or Sunday format running alongside the state system to help children maintain the language.

York Region Russian School serves the Greater Toronto Area and is geared toward families with school-age children. The curriculum includes Russian language and literature, mathematics, and history following Russian/Soviet pedagogical traditions.

Toronto Russian Academy — another well-known centre offering classes in Russian language, music, and school preparation. Suitable for preschoolers and primary school children.

Enrolment at both schools generally opens in August–September. Fees are CAD 200–450 per semester depending on the number of subjects.

Insider moment: many families underestimate the strain of combining a state school with Russian school on weekends. Children who start from preschool age adapt considerably more easily than those who are added to Saturday school at 8–9 years old, when the state school schedule is already packed with coursework and extracurricular activities.

Comparing school education options in Toronto

Common mistakes

1. Not joining a daycare waitlist in advance. Families who start looking for a spot at a licensed center after the baby is born often wait eighteen months. Registering before birth is the norm, not an overreaction.

2. Ignoring French Immersion deadlines. The registration window is January–February. Families who find out in March lose an entire academic year.

3. Assuming your registered address does not matter. In Toronto your specific address determines which school your child is assigned to. Moving to a different neighbourhood a year later can mean an entirely different school.

4. Underestimating the adjustment period. Even children with solid English go through 3–6 months of language stress. Most TDSB schools offer ESL (English as a Second Language) support — request it at enrollment, as it is not assigned automatically.

5. Choosing a Saturday Russian school without considering the workload. Adding a second ’school’ to your child’s schedule should be a conscious decision — especially from year 3 onwards, when the state curriculum becomes more demanding.

6. Not clarifying the religious component when enrolling in TCDSB. Some families choose the Catholic board for a specific school and are not expecting mandatory religious subjects and events.

Practical takeaway

For most Russian-speaking families, the optimal combination is TDSB as the main school plus one of the Russian-language Saturday programs to maintain the language. Childcare through the CWELCC program covers the need for affordable care, but requires planning well in advance. If EN/FR bilingualism is a priority, apply for French Immersion as soon as you arrive — don’t delay. Private schools are worth considering for specific educational needs, but they are not a prerequisite for quality education in Toronto — the public system genuinely delivers.