Riverside School Board
- Why
- Academic confidence · Location
- Because
- Ranking · Low dropout rate · International Baccalaureate
- Result
- Solid academic footing · Progress in two languages · A reliable home environment
- Benefit
- Premium · CAD 2,377 above the median, with IB and homestay
- Cost
- CAD 29,101 (estimated first-year total) · about CAD 2,910 per school month
Why Riverside School Board?
Families who want their child to study close to Montreal but in a calmer community, at a board with strong academic results, look at Riverside.
- Academic confidence: a public board with a low dropout rate and a high ranking.
- Location: immediately south and east of Montreal.
- Quality of accommodation: host families are selected after an in-person home visit.
Reasons: what makes Riverside stand out
The board has 19 elementary schools, 4 high schools and an adult and career education centre. It hosts about 100 international students and offers full-year and single-semester programs.
- Ranking: the board reports that it is consistently in the top five of Quebec's 72 public school boards.
- Low dropout rate: it is stated to have one of the lowest school dropout rates in the province.
- International Baccalaureate: the IB program offers an internationally recognised curriculum.
- French Immersion: the language of instruction is English, but this option is available for advancing in French.
- Family screening: host families are carefully screened, visited in their homes and evaluated by students.
- Sports and arts: sports and fine arts programs are available.
- Short and summer programs: there are short-term programs, group programs and a summer language school.
Cost analysis: what one school year costs
| Item | CAD | As published on CAPS-I |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition, one school year | 16,177 | $16,177 |
| Application fee | 234 | $234 |
| Health insurance | 0 / included | $550 (included in tuition fee) |
| Homestay, 10 months at CAD 1,230 | 12,300 | Annual Homestay Placement Fee: $115; Homestay Monthly Fee: $1,230; Annual Custodianship Fee: $275 |
| Homestay placement fee | 115 | |
| Custodianship fee | 275 | |
| Estimated first-year total | 29,101 | Tuition, the listed fees, insurance and homestay for one school year. |
Tuition alone works out to about CAD 1,618 per school month over a 10-month year. With homestay and the listed fees, the year comes to about CAD 2,910 per month.
The tuition figure comes from the district's CAPS-I page. We could not confirm it, or the school year it applies to, on the district's own website on 11 October 2026; we request the current fee schedule for you before you apply.
The other items are taken from the district's CAPS-I member page, read on 11 October 2026. Items shown as "see text" could not be read as a single amount and are left out of the total.
How this fee compares
At CAD 16,177, this fee is CAD 2,377 above the median of CAD 13,800 among 6 public school districts in Quebec.
Outcome: what it means for the student and family
The student attends high school in a board with a high achievement average and lives in a closely monitored home environment. Parents find the return on the higher fee in academic consistency. Students under 17 who arrive without a parent need a guardian in Canada, and the board offers this service for a fee.
- Solid academic footing: a high ranking and low dropout rate provide a hard-working peer group.
- Progress in two languages: English-language education is supported by French.
- A reliable home environment: the supervised homestay system increases parents' confidence.
- Close to the city: Montreal's amenities and airport are a short distance away.
Benefit analysis: what the investment buys
The student works toward the Quebec Secondary School Diploma (DES) plus International Baccalaureate (IB), taught and assessed by certified Canadian teachers.
Classes in English every day, with French options that add a second official language.
A screened homestay family provides a private room, meals and daily support, and the district monitors the placement.
Sports Academies and Fine Arts let the student build a profile beyond grades.
A Canadian transcript, teacher references and extracurricular record that Canadian and international universities review directly.
Cost–benefit at a glance
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Annual investment | CAD 29,101 | Estimated first-year total, from the cost analysis above |
| Per school month | CAD 2,910 | Over a 10-month school year |
| Price position | +CAD 2,377 | vs. median CAD 13,800 · 6 public school districts in Quebec |
| Specialty programs | 3 | International Baccalaureate (IB), Sports Academies and Fine Arts |
| Living arrangement | Homestay | Included in the cost analysis where the school publishes it |
| Language support | Immersion | No separate ESL program in our data; we confirm with the school |
| Value verdict | Premium |
CAD 2,377 above the median across 6 public school districts in Quebec. The higher price is worth it when the student will use what it pays for: IB, homestay, Sports Academies and Fine Arts.
Who it suits and what to consider
- Cost: full-year tuition is CAD 16,177, which is high among Quebec boards. Added to this are a CAD 234 application fee, a CAD 115 placement fee, CAD 550 health insurance, a CAD 275 guardianship fee, a CAD 120 English oral test and CAD 1,230 per month for homestay. Current fees should be confirmed with the school before applying.
- System and climate: high school is completed in grade 11 (Secondary V). Winters are cold. According to the board, spring is mild, summer is hot and autumn is cool.
If you are looking for a board with strong academic results in the Montreal area, book a free preliminary consultation with Canadian Edu Centre and we can assess together whether Riverside suits your child.