Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB)

What Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) does

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) is a publicly funded school board operating under the Ontario Ministry of Education, serving approximately 77,000 students across roughly 120 elementary and secondary schools throughout the City of Ottawa. It delivers a comprehensive JK-12 curriculum that includes full-day bilingual kindergarten, Core and Immersion French programs, alternative schools (currently being phased out with final registrations in September 2026), Special Education services (including facilities such as Crystal Bay Centre for Special Education), and secondary-level programming spanning Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM) across 14 industry sectors, the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, Cooperative Education, eLearning, and the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP). A continuing education division extends the product set into Adult High School diploma completion at 300 Rochester Street, ESL/LINC language instruction for newcomers, International & Indigenous Languages heritage programs, summer school, night school, and outdoor education at the MacSkimming and Bill Mason Centre facilities. International Education Programs are delivered in partnership with the Ottawa-Carleton Education Network (OCENET) to recruit international students on short-term exchanges, full academic year programs, and summer language offerings.

The underlying technology stack is conventional ed-tech rather than differentiated proprietary systems. Core platforms include SchoolMessenger for district-wide parent communication and the SafeArrival absence management system (accessible via mobile app, web portal, and toll-free phone at 1-833-202-1417), SchoolCash Online for fee payments, an interactive School Locator tool tied to residential address, webcal/iCal calendar subscriptions, and the CanadaHelps donation platform. Newcomer intake is operationalized through the centralized Family Reception Centre with multilingual support and credential assessment, supplemented by OCISO Multicultural Liaison Officers.

The business model is government-funded rather than market-based. Core revenue is derived from Ontario Ministry of Education provincial grants allocated via student-enrollment-based formulas, with additional federal program funding, immaterial fee-based revenue from the Extended Day childcare program, and tuition revenue from International Education Programs. There are no tuition fees for Ontario resident students. As of June 27, 2025, the OCDSB operates under ministerial supervision, with all trustee decision-making authority transferred to appointed Supervisor Robert Plamondon.

Name

Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB)

Legal name

Ottawa-Carleton District School Board

Website

https://ocdsb.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) is a publicly funded Ontario school board serving approximately 77,000 students across roughly 120 elementary and secondary schools in Ottawa, delivering JK-12 education, French immersion, special education, continuing education, and international student programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa, Ontario

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: Publicly funded school board operating under the Ontario Ministry of Education. Revenue derived from provincial education funding formulas based on student enrollment, with additional funding from federal sources for specific programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) is a publicly funded English-language school board that delivers Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12 education across approximately 120 schools in Ottawa, Ontario, serving roughly 77,000 students. It also operates continuing education, adult high school, ESL/LINC, international education, special education, mental health, and outdoor education programs. OCDSB is governed by the Ontario Ministry of Education and was placed under ministerial supervision on June 27, 2025.

Product overview

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) is a public school board serving approximately 77,000 students across approximately 120 schools in Ottawa, Ontario. The board offers a comprehensive K-12 education network with specialized programs including Full-Day Kindergarten, Extended Day childcare, Alternative Schools, Specialist High Skills Major programs, International Baccalaureate, eLearning, Cooperative Education, and apprenticeship pathways (OYAP). Continuing Education division provides adult high school diploma completion, ESL/LINC language programs, International Languages instruction, Summer School, Outdoor Education (MacSkimming and Bill Mason Centre), and Get SET workforce training. The board operates Student and Family Support services including mental health programs, SafeArrival absence reporting via SchoolMessenger, and various parent engagement platforms including SchoolCash Online for fee payments. International Education Programs are delivered through OCENET partnership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OCDSB Schools Network Network of approximately 120 elementary and secondary schools across Ottawa offering JK-Grade 12 education with various specialized programs.
• Full-Day Kindergarten Program Full-day, two-year, fully bilingual kindergarten program for children turning 4 before December 31st, featuring play-based learning with caring educator teams.
• OCDSB Extended Day Program Before and after school childcare program for elementary students operated by OCDSB and third-party providers.
• Adult High School Semestered secondary school (Grades 10-12) for adult learners to complete their Ontario Secondary School Diploma, located at 300 Rochester Street, Ottawa.
• Summer School Programs Summer programs including Grade 6-8 summer programs, Reach Ahead Credit courses, eLearning, Cooperative Education, Credit Recovery, and SAIL (Summer Students Accelerating in Literacy) programs for students in Grades 9-12.
• International Education Programs Programs for international students including short-term exchanges, full academic year programs, and summer language programs, operated in partnership with OCENET.
• Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) Specialized programs allowing secondary students to focus on specific industry sectors including Arts and Culture, Aviation and Aerospace, Business, Construction, Environment, Health and Wellness, Energy, Hospitality and Tourism, ICT, Justice/Community Safety, Manufacturing, Non-Profit, Sports, and Transportation.
• English as a Second Language (ESL) / Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) ESL/LINC programs for adult immigrants and newcomers to improve English language proficiency. Includes LINC classes and eligibility assessment for childcare.
• International & Indigenous Languages Program Heritage language instruction for elementary and secondary students, including summer language classes and camps. Languages offered vary by community demand.
• Continuing Education Programs Adult education offerings including High School Diploma completion, Get SET (Skills, Education, and Training), Literacy and Numeracy support, Night School, and the Pathways to Interdependence Program.
• Outdoor Education Centres Outdoor education at MacSkimming and Bill Mason Centre facilities, offering environmental and experiential learning programs for students.
• Alternative Schools

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Ottawa Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative health partnership providing school-based immunization programs, health screening, and public health guidance for schools.
• Ministry of Education (Ontario)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial government oversight with funding allocation and policy direction for the school board. Operates under Ministry mandate and provincial education standards.
• Ottawa Network for Education (ONFE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmbrella organization supporting education in Ottawa through collaborative programs and community engagement initiatives.
• Ottawa-Carleton Education Network (OCENET)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManages International Education Programs for the OCDSB, recruiting and supporting international students.
• United WaymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity support partnership for student and family assistance programs, including educational support and resource access.
• Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManages student transportation including bus services, route planning, and transportation updates for OCDSB students.
• Education Foundation of OttawamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable foundation supporting OCDSB students through bursaries, grants, and educational programs funded by community donations.
• OCISO Multicultural Liaison Officers (MLOs)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing multilingual support and cultural liaison services to help newcomer families integrate into the school system.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Toronto District School Board: Canada's largest school board and Ontario's English-language public system counterpart to OCDSB. Operates K-12 with similar programs and funding structure under Ontario Ministry of Education.
• Peel District School Board: Large Ontario public school board serving Peel Region. Operates K-12 schools under Ontario Ministry of Education with similar funding structure and program offerings as OCDSB.
• Edmonton Public Schools: Alberta's second-largest public school board. Operates K-12 schools with similar governance and operational structure to OCDSB, with comparable scale and program diversification.
• Ottawa Catholic School Board: Direct geographic competitor to OCDSB in Ottawa, operating the Catholic school system. Serves a parallel student population in the same geography with similar funding structure but different denominational focus.
• Calgary Board of Education: Alberta's largest public school board. Operates K-12 schools with similar structure to OCDSB, though funded under Alberta's education framework rather than Ontario's.
• Durham District School Board: Ontario public school board serving Durham Region. Operates K-12 schools under Ontario Ministry of Education with similar funding structure, governance model, and program offerings to OCDSB.
• York Region District School Board: One of Ontario's largest public school boards serving York Region. Operates K-12 schools under the same Ontario Ministry of Education funding model as OCDSB, with comparable program offerings including French immersion and IB.
• Vancouver School Board: British Columbia's largest public school board. Operates K-12 schools with similar structure to OCDSB, though funded provincially under BC's education system rather than Ontario's.
• Toronto Catholic District School Board: Largest Catholic school board in Ontario. Operates K-12 schools under Ontario Ministry of Education with similar funding structure to OCDSB but separate denominational system.
• Upper Canada District School Board: Eastern Ontario public school board serving rural and small-town communities east of Ottawa. Operates K-12 schools under Ontario Ministry of Education with similar funding and governance structure to OCDSB.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheOCDSB
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ottawa-carleton-district-school-board-ocdsb-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB)