Universities in Canada are established and operate under provincial and territorial government charters or are directed by First Nations bands or by federal legislation. Most public universities in the country are members of Universities Canada, a non-profit organization. The title "university" is protected under federal regulation.

As of September 2025, there are 155 universities with the legal status of "recognized". A university with such legal status has been given authority to grant degrees by formal legislative act(s) of the applicable provincial or territorial legislature. The total includes 41 theological schools and 13 affiliated colleges of larger universities with their own independent recognition (such as Saint Paul University and University of Trinity College, affiliated colleges of the University of Ottawa and the University of Toronto respectively). The universities offer education in English and French. Most French-speaking universities are located in Quebec, though outside the province are either francophone or bilingual. 1.8 million students are enrolled in university. Programs are offered to graduating high school students through choice; however, students must maintain specific entering averages, which generally range from 65 to 85%, depending on criteria set by the chosen university. On campus residences are available at 95% of universities in Canada.

List of public universities There are many public universities in Canada that are authorized to issue degrees. Degrees from Affiliated institutions and seminaries are typically awarded by the affiliate's parent institution.

Name Province/territory City/cities Undergraduate students Graduate students Totalfull-timestudents Full-time Part-timeFull-time Part-time Alberta University of the Arts Alberta CalgaryEnglish1926 Acadia University Nova Scotia Wolfville English 1838 Algoma University Ontario Sault Ste. Marie,Brampton English 2008 Athabasca University Alberta Athabasca,Calgary,EdmontonEnglish1970 Bishop's University Quebec Sherbrooke English 1843 Brandon University Manitoba Brandon English 1899 Brock University Ontario St. Catharines,Hamilton English 1964 Cape Breton University Nova Scotia Sydney English 1974 Capilano University British Columbia North Vancouver English 1968 3,775 Carleton University Ontario Ottawa English 1942 Concordia University Quebec Montreal English 1974 Dalhousie University Nova Scotia Halifax,Truro English 1818 Emily Carr University of Art and Design British Columbia Vancouver English 1925 Kwantlen Polytechnic University British Columbia Richmond,Surrey,Langley,Cloverdale English 1981 Lakehead University Ontario Thunder Bay,Orillia English 1965 Alberta EdmontonEnglish1971 Alberta CalgaryEnglish1910 Alberta Edmonton,Camrose,CalgaryBilingual1906 Alberta Calgary,EdmontonEnglish1966 Alberta Lethbridge,Edmonton,CalgaryEnglish1967 Royal Roads University British Columbia Victoria English 1995 Simon Fraser University British Columbia Burnaby,Surrey,Vancouver English 1965 Thompson Rivers University British Columbia Kamloops English 1970 British Columbia Vancouver,Kelowna English 1908 British Columbia Victoria English 1963 British Columbia Abbotsford,Chilliwack,Mission English 1974 British Columbia Prince George English 1990 Vancouver Island University British Columbia Nanaimo,Duncan,Parksville,Powell River English 1969 University College of the North Manitoba The Pas,Thompson English 1966 Manitoba Winnipeg Bilingual 1877 Manitoba Winnipeg French 1818 Manitoba Winnipeg English 1871 Mount Allison University New Brunswick Sackville English 1839 St. Thomas University New Brunswick Fredericton English 1910 New Brunswick Fredericton,Saint John English 1785 New Brunswick Moncton,Shippagan,Edmundston French 1963 Memorial University of Newfoundland Newfoundland St. John's,Corner Brook,Harlow (United Kingdom) English 1925 Mount Saint Vincent University Nova Scotia Halifax English 1873 Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University Nova Scotia Halifax English 1887 Saint Francis Xavier University Nova Scotia Antigonish English 1853 Saint Mary's University Nova Scotia Halifax English 1802 Nova Scotia Pointe-de-l'Église French 1890 University of King's College Nova ScotiaHalifaxEnglish1789 Laurentian University Ontario Sudbury,Hearst,Kapuskasing,Timmins Bilingual 1960 McMaster University Ontario Hamilton English 1887 Nipissing University Ontario North Bay,Bracebridge,Brantford English 1992 Ontario College of Art and Design University Ontario Toronto English 1876 Queen's University at Kingston Ontario Kingston English 1841 Royal Military College of Canada Ontario Kingston Bilingual 1876 Toronto Metropolitan University Ontario Toronto English 1948 Trent University Ontario Peterborough,Oshawa English 1963 Ontario Hearst,Timmins,Kapuskasing French 1953 280 Ontario Toronto French 2018 233 Ontario Sudbury French 1913 30 Ontario Guelph,Toronto,Ridgetown English 1964 Ontario Tech University Ontario Oshawa English 2002 Ontario Ottawa Bilingual 1848 Ontario Toronto,Mississauga English 1827 Ontario Waterloo,Cambridge,Kitchener,Stratford English 1957 Ontario London English 1878 Ontario Windsor English 1857 Wilfrid Laurier University Ontario Waterloo,Brantford,Milton,Toronto,Kitchener English 1911 York University Ontario Toronto,Markham English 1959 Prince Edward Island Charlottetown English 1969 Quebec Montreal French 1974 Quebec Quebec City,Montreal,Gatineau,Saguenay,Trois-Rivières French 1969 Institut national de la recherche scientifique Quebec Quebec City,Montreal,Laval,Varennes French 1969 McGill University Quebec Montreal,Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue English 1821 Quebec Montreal French 1878 Quebec Sherbrooke French 1954 Quebec Rouyn-Noranda, Mont-Laurier French 1970 Quebec Gatineau,Saint-Jérôme French 1970 Quebec Chicoutimi French 1969 Quebec Montreal French 1969 Quebec Rimouski,Lévis French 1969 Quebec Trois-Rivières French 1969 QuebecQuebec CityFrench1972 Quebec Quebec City French 1663 Saskatchewan Regina,Saskatoon,Swift Current English 1911 Saskatchewan Saskatoon,Prince Albert English 1907 Yukon University Yukon Whitehorse English 1983

List of private universities

The following is a list of private universities that are authorized to issue degrees by a provincial authority. The following list does not include satellite campuses, for example Northeastern University in Toronto or Niagara University, nor does it lnclude branches in Canada for universities based in the United States. All of them are English language institutions. Name City Province Est. Students Faith-based Undergrad. Graduate TotalAmbrose UniversityCalgaryAlberta1921487 (2025)YesBooth University CollegeWinnipegManitoba1982420420YesBurman UniversityLacombeAlberta1907334 (2025)YesCanadian Mennonite UniversityWinnipegManitoba1999630YesConcordia University of EdmontonEdmontonAlberta19211,8222892,146 (2025)NoCrandall UniversityMonctonNew Brunswick1949YesKingswood UniversitySussexNew Brunswick1945YesPacific Coast University for Workplace Health SciencesPort AlberniBritish Columbia2007NoProvidence University College and Theological SeminaryOtterburneManitoba1925440YesRedeemer UniversityHamiltonOntario19821,1171,117 (2025)YesSt. Mary's University, CalgaryCalgaryAlberta1986846 (2025)YesSt. Stephen's UniversitySt. StephenNew Brunswick1975213213YesThe King's UniversityEdmontonAlberta1979695 (2025)YesTrinity Western UniversityLangleyBritish Columbia19623,0003,0006,000YesTyndale UniversityTorontoOntario18945159251,440YesUniversity Canada WestVancouverBritish Columbia2005NoUniversity of FrederictonFrederictonNew Brunswick20054,000NoUniversity of Niagara Falls CanadaNiagara FallsOntario2024500–3,000NoYorkville UniversityFredericton,Toronto,Vancouver,VaughanBritish Columbia,New Brunswick,Ontario2003No

See also

Notes

Footnotes

References

External links Universities Canada Map of all Canadian universities Times Higher Education Canadian University rankings Maclean's University Rankings