Canada does not have a national office/department of education, so authority over education policy in each province and territory resides with a minister who is an elected member of the legislature and appointed to that post by the government leader of the jurisdiction. Ministries and departments of education provide educational, administrative, financial management, and school support functions. They define the educational services that will be provided to their districts, and provide a framework for implementation. They also have responsibility for curriculum development, assessment, equity concerns, and information and communication technology.
School boards are typically entrusted with local governance of school systems. Members are elected by the public, and powers and duties are outlined in provincial or territorial legislation in each area. Local school systems in most provinces and territories have a core curriculum of about 80% provincially defined courses and 20% locally developed curriculum.