Homeschooling in Montreal: How It Works Under Quebec's Education Act

Homeschooling in Montreal operates under Quebec's provincial education law, which is among the most regulated homeschool frameworks in Canada. Montreal families — whether Anglophone, Francophone, or Allophone — work through a process that is different from what applies in most other provinces, and understanding the specifics before you start avoids significant complications.

The Legal Framework

Quebec's Education Act requires that children receive instruction equivalent to what they would receive in the public school system. The mechanism through which homeschooling becomes legal in Quebec is the Learning Project (Projet d'apprentissage) — a formal document that parents submit to the Minister of Education describing how they intend to educate their child.

This is a legal requirement. You cannot simply decide to homeschool and begin without submitting a Learning Project and receiving approval. Until the Learning Project is approved, your child is legally required to attend school.

The approval authority in Montreal depends on your family's linguistic status:

• Anglophone families typically work with the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) or Lester B. Pearson School Board, depending on the borough.
• Francophone families work through their local francophone school board — in Montreal this is primarily the Commission scolaire de Montréal (CSDM) or Centre de services scolaire de Montréal, as it is now formally known following the 2020 education reform.
• Allophone families (neither French nor English as first language) are typically directed to the French-language school board under Quebec's language laws.

Contact your appropriate school board first. They will tell you the current process, submission timelines, and what format they want the Learning Project submitted in.

What the Learning Project Must Include

The Learning Project is more than a curriculum list. Quebec expects the document to demonstrate that your educational approach will provide instruction equivalent in scope to the school system. A typical Learning Project includes:

• Educational approach and philosophy — describe how you intend to structure learning. This can be structured (textbook-based), project-based, eclectic, or unschooling-influenced, but you need to articulate it coherently.
• Subject areas and planned learning activities — Quebec's Education Act defines the broad subjects that must be covered (language of instruction, second language, mathematics, science and technology, social sciences, arts, physical education and health). Your Learning Project should address each.
• Assessment methods — how will you evaluate whether your child is progressing? Portfolios, parent-graded tests, standardized tests, narrative assessments, and demonstrations of mastery are all used by Quebec homeschoolers.
• Resources and materials — a list of curriculum materials, books, digital resources, or programs you plan to use. You do not need to use any specific curriculum, but listing your resources helps the school board assess the equivalence of your program.

Quebec school boards have different degrees of scrutiny and different response times. Some Montreal families report straightforward approvals; others report requests for significant revisions to their Learning Project. Preparing a thorough initial submission reduces back-and-forth.

The Approval Timeline

The Learning Project must be submitted and approved before you withdraw your child from school. This is a critical difference from some other provinces where you can notify and begin relatively quickly.

Approval timelines in Montreal vary. Historically, some families have waited several weeks or longer for a response. Build this timeline into your planning — if you want to begin homeschooling in September, submitting in spring is not too early.

If your Learning Project is modified or returned with requests for changes, you have the right to revise and resubmit. The school board cannot indefinitely refuse a reasonable Learning Project, but they can require modifications.

Curriculum Choices for Montreal Families

There is no approved curriculum list in Quebec. You choose your own resources. In practice, Montreal homeschoolers draw from a wide range of options:

For Francophone families

Quebec curriculum documents (PFEQ) — the Québec Education Program is publicly available and details expected learning progressions by subject and cycle. Using these documents as a framework when writing your Learning Project is common and makes the equivalence argument easier to make.

La Trousse scolaire, Apprentissage illimité, and similar Quebec-based homeschool resource providers offer workbooks, activity packages, and unit studies in French aligned to the Quebec curriculum.

Libraries and public resources — the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) is a significant free resource in Montreal, with children's sections well-stocked with French-language educational materials.

For Anglophone families

Canadian online programs including programs from other provinces (ADLC from Alberta, CDLI from Newfoundland, various BC options) are used by Montreal Anglophone families who want Canadian-context materials without being constrained to Quebec's French-language curriculum structure.

US-based accredited programs (Connections Academy, Calvert, Bridgewater Academy) are used by some Montreal Anglophone homeschoolers and can provide structured, credentialed coursework.

EPCA (English Parents Committee Association) in Quebec offers guidance and resources specifically for Anglophone homeschoolers navigating Quebec's education system and may be able to direct you to current community resources in the Montreal area.

Homeschool Groups and Community in Montreal

Montreal's homeschool community is more diffuse than in provinces with a large, established homeschool culture, partly because Quebec's regulatory environment has historically made homeschooling less common. However, community does exist:

The Quebec Homeschooling Network connects families province-wide and is active on social media. Its Montreal membership includes both Francophone and Anglophone families.

Alliance des familles éducatrices (AFÉ) is Quebec's main homeschool advocacy association. AFÉ provides legal guidance, community events, and resources specifically for Quebec families navigating the Learning Project process and the broader education law.

Facebook groups for Montreal homeschoolers — searching "homeschool Montreal" or "éducation à la maison Montréal" surfaces several active groups where families share current experiences with specific school boards, curriculum recommendations, and community activities.

What Happens After Approval

Once your Learning Project is approved, you withdraw your child from their current school (the school board will confirm the process), and you begin your home education program.

In Quebec, families submit annual progress reports to the school board, and the school board may conduct a follow-up review. The follow-up is not a formal inspection in the way some parents fear — it is typically a meeting or document review to confirm the child is progressing. Maintaining a portfolio of your child's work throughout the year makes this process straightforward.

Approval is granted annually, meaning you submit a new Learning Project (or a renewal) for each school year. The renewal process is generally simpler than the initial submission if your approach has not changed significantly.

High School and Beyond

For high school students, the picture becomes more complex. Quebec's high school graduation requires specific course credits, and homeschooled students who want a Quebec Diploma of Secondary Studies (DES) need to accumulate those credits through approved means.

Many Montreal homeschoolers use distance education through the Centre d'éducation aux adultes or private education centers to access provincial course credits at the secondary level. The adult education route is available to high school age homeschoolers in some cases and provides official transcripts that are recognized by CEGEP admissions.

CEGEP (the Quebec college system, required before university) has its own admissions processes and typically requires a DES or equivalent. Homeschooled students targeting Quebec universities need to plan their CEGEP pathway carefully; it is achievable but requires deliberate course planning from Grade 9 onwards.

Quebec's process is more involved than most provinces, but families who invest in understanding it upfront navigate it successfully every year. If you are based in Alberta and comparing regulatory environments, the contrast is significant — Alberta's system is considerably more parent-friendly, with faster registration, explicit non-supervised pathways, and no advance approval requirement.

If you are homeschooling in Alberta — or planning to start — the Alberta Legal Withdrawal Blueprint covers the province's specific process from school withdrawal through program registration, with templates and step-by-step instructions.

See more Canada homeschool guides →