In Canada, the constitutional responsibility for universities rests with the provinces and territories. The decision to assign responsibility for universities to local legislatures was enacted as law in the British North America Act in 1867, later renamed the Constitution Act in 1982; it states: "in and for each Province, the Legislature may exclusively make laws in relation to Education." As a result of this constitutional agreement, a distinctive system of higher education has evolved in each province. An exception to provincial level university structure is the arrangement for the aboriginal peoples in Canada. As the constitutional responsibility for Aboriginal Peoples with Treaty Status rests with the federal government of Canada under the Constitution Act of 1982, the federal government is largely responsible for funding higher education opportunities for Aboriginal learners.

The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), an organisation composed of Canadian universities, defines two distinct types of post-secondary institutions in Canada: universities and colleges. Universities grant university degrees, which include bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees; and colleges, also known as community colleges, provide diplomas. In some cases, universities must be a member of AUCC to be able to grant university degrees. However, in other provinces membership is no guarantee of university status. Provincial and territorial governments provide the majority of funding to their public universities, with the remainder of funding coming from the federal government, tuition fees, and research grants. The primary variation between universities in the provinces is the amount of funding they receive. Universities in Quebec receive the most funding and have the lowest tuition fees, while universities in Atlantic Canada generally receive the least funding. Among G7 countries, Canada has the highest proportion of post-secondary education graduates in the workforce. It also has one of the highest percentage of university graduates in the workforce, with 22%.

There are 83 universities in Canada that are independent post-secondary education institutions with degree-granting authority. Seven of these universities are in Montreal, Quebec. Since 2008, there are also seven recognized universities within Metro Vancouver. Six are in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Five of these universities have campuses in Toronto, Ontario, the most populous city in the country. Three universities are in Ottawa, the country's capital city. The oldest university in Canada, Université Laval, was established in 1663. The Quest University is the smallest university in the country, with 80 students, and the University of Quebec is the largest, with 87,000 students.

L – Language (not including language study programs) (E – English, F – French, B – English and French)

E – Established

U – Undergraduate enrollment

P – Postgraduate enrollment

T – Total enrollment

Alberta

There are five universities in Alberta, thirteen public colleges (one of which grants degrees), and seven private colleges (all of which grant degrees). Most private colleges refer to themselves as "university colleges", but are not legally universities, although they grant equivalent degrees. Post-secondary education in Alberta is regulated by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology. There are two universities in Calgary: University of Calgary and Mount Royal University. Edmonton, the province's capital city, is home to the University of Alberta, the province's oldest and largest university.

In 2009, a bill was passed by the Alberta legislature that allowed the two public colleges that offered degress (MacEwan College in Edmonton and Mount Royal College in Calgary) to rename themselves universities. Mount Royal College was renamed Mount Royal University on September 3, 2009 and Grant MacEwan College became Grant MacEwan University on September 24, 2009.

Institution	Location(s)	L	E	U	P	T	Notes
	Edmonton, Camrose	B	1906
Athabasca University	Athabasca	E	1970
	Calgary	E	1966
	Lethbridge, Edmonton	E	1967
	Calgary	E	1910
Grant MacEwan University	Edmonton	E	1971

British Columbia

There are eleven public universities and four private universities in the Canadian province of British Columbia. New degree programs for all British Columbia secondary education institutions must be approved by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development; the Ministry must also give consent to private institutions to grant degrees in British Columbia and use the word "university" for educational purposes. Six of these universities – Capilano University, Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Simon Fraser University, and the University of British Columbia – are in the Metro Vancouver region, the most populated region of British Columbia, and four of them – Vancouver Island University, Royal Roads University, the University of Victoria, and the University Canada West – are on Vancouver Island. Two public universities, Capilano University and Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and one private university, Quest University, are primarily undergraduate institutions.

The oldest university in the province is the University of British Columbia, established in 1908. Five institutions in British Columbia were officially designated as universities on September 1, 2008: Capilano University, Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, the University of the Fraser Valley, and Vancouver Island University. University enrollment in British Columbia ranges from Quest University with 80 students to the University of British Columbia with 45,484 students.

Institution	Location(s)	L	E	U	P	T	Notes
Capilano University	North Vancouver	E	1968
Emily Carr University of Art and Design	Vancouver	E	1925
Fairleigh Dickinson University	Vancouver	E	2007
Kwantlen Polytechnic University	Richmond, Surrey, Langley, and Cloverdale	E	1981
Quest University	Squamish	E	2002
Royal Roads University	Victoria	E	1995 (June 21)
Simon Fraser University	Burnaby & Surrey & Vancouver	E	1965
Thompson Rivers University	Kamloops	E	1970
Trinity Western University	Langley	E	1962
	Vancouver & Kelowna	E	1908 (March 7)
University Canada West	Victoria	E	2005
	Abbotsford	E	1974
	Prince George	E	1990 (June 21)
	Victoria	E	1963 (July 1)
Vancouver Island University	Nanaimo	E	1969

Manitoba

There are five universities in Manitoba, which are under the responsibility of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Literacy. Four of these universities—the University of Manitoba, the Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface, the Canadian Mennonite University and the University of Winnipeg—are in Winnipeg, the capital and largest city in the province. In Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg is the only university that does not have graduate-level programs. The Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface, established in 1818, is the oldest university in the province and is a French language university, and Brandon University, formed in 1899 and located in Brandon, Mb., is the newest. University enrollment in Manitoba ranges from the Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface with 984 students to the University of Manitoba with 26,800 students.

Institution	Location	L	E	U	P	T	Notes
Brandon University	Brandon	E	1899
Canadian Mennonite University	Winnipeg	E	1944
	Winnipeg	B	1877
	Saint Boniface	F	1818
	Winnipeg	E	1871

New Brunswick

There are seven chartered universities in New Brunswick, four public universities, governed by the Ministry of Post Secondary Education, Training and Labour, and three private institutions with religious affiliation. New Brunswick holds the distinctions of having the first English-language university in Canada and the first public university in North America, the University of New Brunswick; and the first university in the British Empire to award a bachelor's degree to a woman, Grace Annie Lockhart, in 1875 from Mount Allison University. St. Thomas University and University of New Brunswick have campuses in the province's capital of Fredericton. St. Thomas University is the only public university in the province that does not offer graduate-level programs. Established in 1785, the University of New Brunswick is the oldest public in the province, and the Université de Moncton is the newest, formed in 1963. Public university enrollment ranges from Mount Allison University with 2,240 students to the University of New Brunswick with 10,880 students. Of the three private universities, Crandall University is the most ambitious and provides degrees in arts, sciences, education, business and religious studies. A recently announced $24 million expansion at Crandall will provide for three new buildings on campus and will allow enrollment to expand to 1,200.

Institution	Location(s)	L	E	U	P	T	Notes
Mount Allison University	Sackville	E	1839
St. Thomas University	Fredericton	E	1910
Université de Moncton	Moncton, Shippagan, Edmundston	F	1963
University of New Brunswick	Fredericton & Saint John	E	1785
Crandall University	Moncton	E	1949	800	0	800
Bethany Bible College	Sussex	E	1945	300	0	300
St. Stephen's University	St. Stephen	E	1971	n/a	n/a	n/a

Newfoundland and Labrador

The Degree Granting Act of Newfoundland and Labrador regulates degree-granting universities in the province. The only university in Newfoundland and Labrador, Memorial University of Newfoundland, has campuses in two cities, in St. John's, the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, and on the west coast of the province, in Corner Brook. With 17,690 enrolled students, it is the largest university in Atlantic Canada.

Institution	Location(s)	L	E	U	P	T	Notes
Memorial University of Newfoundland	St. John's & Corner Brook	E	1925

Nova Scotia

There are 11 universities in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Six of these universities – the Atlantic School of Theology, Dalhousie University, Mount Saint Vincent University, the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University, Saint Mary's University, and the University of King's College – are located in the Halifax Regional Municipality, which is the capital of Nova Scotia and the largest urban area in the Atlantic Canada region. The oldest university in the province is the University of King's College, established in 1789, and the newest university is Cape Breton University, established in 1974. University student enrollment in Nova Scotia ranges from the Atlantic School of Theology with 140 students to Dalhousie University with 15,140 students.

Several universities in Nova Scotia have strong religious connections. The University of King's College, first founded in Windsor, holds the distinction of being the first college with university powers in British North America, at a time when Upper Canada had no government of its own. It has always remained under the control of the Church of England. Dalhousie University, first known as Dalhousie College, was established in Halifax in 1820 with the help of the Presbyterian Church, and Acadia University was founded by Baptists. Catholics formed both Saint Mary's University and Saint Francis Xavier University.

Institution	Location(s)	L	E	U	P	T	Notes
Acadia University	Wolfville	E	1838
Atlantic School of Theology	Halifax	E	1971
Cape Breton University	Sydney	E	1974
Dalhousie University	Halifax	E	1818
	Halifax	E	1789
Mount Saint Vincent University	Halifax	E	1873
Nova Scotia Agricultural College	Bible Hill	E	1905
Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University	Halifax	E	1887
Saint Francis Xavier University	Antigonish	E	1853
Saint Mary's University	Halifax	E	1802
	Church Point	F	1890

Ontario

There are 22 universities in the Canadian province of Ontario that are post-secondary education institutions with degree-granting authority. Each of these institutions were either established through an Act of the Legislative Assembly or through a Royal Charter. Five of these universities have campuses in Toronto, the province's capital and its most populous city: the Ontario College of Art & Design, Ryerson University, the University of Guelph, the University of Toronto, and York University. Three universities are located in the country's capital city, Ottawa: Carleton University, Dominican University College, and the University of Ottawa.

The oldest university, the University of Toronto, was established in 1827, and the newest university, Algoma University, was established in 2008. The largest university in terms of enrollment is the University of Toronto, which has campuses in three locations: Mississauga, Scarborough (in the city of Toronto), and Toronto.

In addition to the independent institutions in the list below, a number of institutions originally founded as independent universities have since federated with the University of Toronto and suspended their degree-granting authority in fields other than divinity. These include Victoria University, the University of Trinity College, and the University of St. Michael's College.

Institution	Location(s)	L	E	U	P	T	Notes
Algoma University	Sault Ste. Marie	E	2008
Brock University	St. Catharines	E	1964
Carleton University	Ottawa	E	1942
Dominican University College	Ottawa	B	1900
	Guelph & four locations	B	1964
Lakehead University	Thunder Bay & Orillia	E	1965
Laurentian University	Sudbury & four locations	B	1960
McMaster University	Hamilton	E	1887
Nipissing University	North Bay & Brantford	E	1992
Ontario College of Art & Design	Toronto	E	1876
	Oshawa	E	2002
	Ottawa	B	1848
Queen's University	Kingston & Herstmonceux, UK	E	1841
Royal Military College of Canada	Kingston	B	1876
Ryerson University	Toronto	E	1948
	Toronto, Scarborough, & Mississauga	E	1827
Trent University	Peterborough & Oshawa	E	1963
	Waterloo & two locations	E	1957
	London	E	1878
Wilfrid Laurier University	Waterloo & two locations	E	1911
	Windsor	E	1963
York University	Toronto	B	1959

Prince Edward Island

There is one university in Prince Edward Island that is authorized to grant degrees. Higher education in the province falls under the jurisdiction of the Higher Education and Corporate Services Branch within the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. The only university in the province, the University of Prince Edward Island, is in the province's capital of Charlottetown. The institution resulted from an amalgamation of Prince of Wales College, a former university college founded in 1834, and Saint Dunstan's University, founded in 1855.

Institution	Location	L	E	U	P	T	Notes
University of Prince Edward Island	Charlottetown	E	1804

Quebec

There are 17 universities in the largely French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec. Of the 17 universities, 14 are francophone and three are anglophone, all of them accredited by the Conférence des recteurs et des principaux des universités de Québec. Seven of these universities – Concordia University, École de technologie supérieure, École Polytechnique de Montréal, HEC Montréal, McGill University, Université de Montréal, and Université du Québec à Montréal – are located in Montreal, the most populated city in Quebec, and three of them – École nationale d'administration publique, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, and Université Laval – are based in Quebec City, the province's capital. The Institut national de la recherche scientifique and École nationale d'administration publique do not have undergraduate level programs.

The oldest university in the province is Université Laval, established in 1663. Two institutions, both established in 1974, are the most recently designated universities in Quebec: École de technologie supérieure and Concordia University. University enrollment in Quebec ranges from Institut national de la recherche scientifique with 480 students to Concordia University with 43,944 students.

Institution	Location	L	E	U	P	T	Notes
Bishop's University	Sherbrooke	E	1843
Concordia University	Montreal	E	1974
	Montreal	F	1974
	Quebec City	F	1969
	Montreal	F	1873
HEC Montréal	Montreal	F	1907
Institut national de la recherche scientifique	Quebec City	F	1969
McGill University	Montreal & Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue	E	1821
Université de Montréal	Montreal	F	1878
Université de Sherbrooke	Sherbrooke	F	1954
Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue	Rouyn-Noranda	F	1970
Université du Québec en Outaouais	Gatineau	F	1970
Université du Québec à Chicoutimi	Chicoutimi	F	1969
Université du Québec à Montréal	Montreal	F	1969
Université du Québec à Rimouski	Rimouski	F	1969
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières	Trois-Rivières	F	1969
Université Laval	Quebec City	F	1663

Saskatchewan

There are three universities in Saskatchewan. The Government of Saskatchewan must establish statutes individually to degree-granting universities; these statutes outline the authority of each institution, their regulations, and bylaws. The First Nations University of Canada and the University of Regina are both in Regina, the province's capital, and the University of Saskatchewan is in Saskatoon, the most populous city in Saskatchewan. The University of Saskatchewan is the oldest university in the province, founded in 1907, and the First Nations University of Canada is the newest, established in 1976. The University of Saskatchewan is also the largest university in Saskatchewan with 18,620 students, and the First Nations University of Canada (FNUC) is the smallest with 840 students. The First Nations University is the only Canadian university that caters to the needs of First Nations students. It was originally called the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, and once formed, it entered into a federated agreement with the University of Regina to create the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College (SIFC). This Agreement allowed FNUC to become an independently administered university-college that served First Nations students. The First Nations University of Canada is the only university in the province that does not offer graduate-level programs.

Institution	Location(s)	L	E	U	P	T	Notes
First Nations University of Canada	Regina	E	1976
University of Regina	Regina	E	1911
University of Saskatchewan	Saskatoon	E	1907

See also

• Group of Thirteen
• Higher education in Canada

Lists

• List of business schools in Canada
• List of Canadian universities by endowment
• List of colleges in Canada
• List of law schools in Canada
• Lists of universities and colleges
• List of universities and colleges by country

Notes

References

1. Intercamp, "MacEwan and MRC could add University to name".
2. http://www.tru.ca/about_tru/facts_figures.html
3. Leeds and Grenville, Prescott and Russell, Chatham-Kent & Toronto
4. Barrie, Hearst, Kapuskasing & Timmins
5. Cambridge & Kitchener
6. Brantford & Kitchener

References

External links

• Canadian universities at the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada