Peel District School Board
- Why
- Proximity to a big city · Multicultural environment
- Because
- Peel Academy for International Students · Six designated high schools · Large system
- Result
- City skills · Easier adjustment · Administrative fee included
- Benefit
- Budget-friendly · CAD 700 below the median, with homestay
- Cost
- CAD 15,340 (total of the published items, without homestay) · about CAD 1,534 per school month
Why Peel District School Board?
Families who want Toronto's opportunities but prefer a secular, multicultural public school often choose Peel. The region has a population above 1,320,000 and is described as one of the safest and most multicultural places in the world. The board serves Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga, from kindergarten to Grade 12.
- Proximity to a big city: Suits students who want to live 20 minutes from central Toronto.
- Multicultural environment: Suits families looking for a school where students from many backgrounds are common. The region is one of the most populous in southern Ontario.
- Public transit: Suits families who want their children to travel to school by bus on their own.
Reasons: scale, a dedicated support unit and proximity to Toronto
- Peel Academy for International Students: Created to strengthen support for international students, so they have a unit focused on their needs. The international program began in September 2011.
- Six designated high schools: International students are grouped in six high schools, which are used to students from many countries.
- Large system: With 153,000 students and more than 240 schools, the board offers broad resources and course choice, which improves the chance of finding courses that match a student's interests.
- Location: Downtown Toronto is 20 minutes away and Niagara Falls is one hour away, making city and travel options easy to reach.
- Airport: Toronto Pearson International Airport is inside the region, so arrivals and holiday travel are simple.
- Three accommodation providers: The board works with Canada's Newcomer Services, Homestay Select Inc. and SIED, so families can compare host-family options. Accommodation is arranged for every student who needs a place to live.
- Easy-to-reach homes: Host homes are in safe neighbourhoods and close to public transit, so students can make the daily commute independently.
Cost analysis: what one school year costs
| Item | CAD | As published on CAPS-I |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition, one school year | 14,800 | Elementary: $13,800 (includes a $500 admin fee). Secondary: $14,800 (includes $500 admin. fee) for up to 8 credits |
| Health insurance | 540 | $540 |
| Homestay, full year | see text | varies by homestay provider, please confirm directly with them. |
| Total of the published items, without homestay | 15,340 | Homestay is priced by the homestay provider and is not included in this total. |
Tuition alone works out to about CAD 1,480 per school month over a 10-month year.
Tuition includes a CAD 500 administration fee. The semester fee on CAPS-I is labelled September 2021; confirm with the board.
The same tuition figure is published on the district's own website, read on 11 October 2026. That page does not state which school year it applies to.
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 14,800, this fee is CAD 700 below the median of CAD 15,500 among 32 public school districts in Ontario.
Outcome: a student who becomes independent on the edge of a big city
- City skills: Students learn to organize their routine by using public transit, a skill that prepares them for university.
- Easier adjustment: A multicultural setting reduces the feeling of being an outsider for international students.
- Administrative fee included: High school tuition is CAD 14,800 per year or CAD 7,400 per semester, including a CAD 500 administrative fee. Elementary tuition is CAD 13,800 per year. The high school fee covers courses up to eight credits.
- Large international community: About 364 international students attend. Full-year and single-semester options are available, with intakes in September and February.
Benefit analysis: what the investment buys
The student works toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), taught and assessed by certified Canadian teachers.
Every lesson, club and team runs in English, which turns English into a working language rather than a school subject.
A screened homestay family provides a private room, meals and daily support, and the district monitors the placement.
Clubs, teams and community activities 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 15,340 | Total of the published items, without homestay, from the cost analysis above |
| Per school month | CAD 1,534 | Over a 10-month school year |
| Price position | −CAD 700 | vs. median CAD 15,500 · 32 public school districts in Ontario |
| Specialty programs | Core program | Standard provincial curriculum |
| 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 | Budget-friendly |
CAD 700 below the median across 32 public school districts in Ontario. Families get the full Canadian school experience for less.
Who it suits and what to consider
- Program information: The CAPS-I page does not specify programs such as IB or AP. Families with those goals should ask each school directly, and the scope of language support should also be confirmed school by school.
- Cost: Living around Toronto is expensive. Costs include CAD 540 per year for health insurance, plus homestay fees that vary by provider. Current tuition should be confirmed with the school before applying. Homestay and guardianship fees must be checked separately with each of the three providers.
Let us work out together which of Peel's six high schools suits your child. Book a free preliminary consultation with Canadian Edu Centre.