The provinces are responsible for education, including university education. Parents do not have a completely free choice of school in Canada, as each school has a neighbourhood catchment area.
Private schools often charge very high fees and are therefore not suitable for everyone. Although faith-based schools are generally more affordable, they still charge fees and membership of a particular church, for example, may also be required.
It is not generally necessary to enrol children far in advance, except in the case of private schools, as places are normally allocated by interviewing the prospective student and parents and by assessing documents relating to the child's education to date.
It is advisable to contact the school early regarding the enrolment requirements.