Cell Phone Bans in Schools: A Guide for Parents and Students
Several provinces across Canada will implement cell phone bans this September, but not all policies will be the same.
Alberta
Alberta’s regulations say no personal mobile devices will be permitted during instruction time. Students are required to put their devices on silent mode and store them out of sight.
Exceptions will be made for health or medical reasons or if a student with a specific learning challenge needs support.
Devices can also be used for learning purposes if the principal approves, the government said.
British Columbia
As in Alberta, B.C. has left the defining of cell phone restrictions up to school districts. The government said policies restricting students’ cellphone use in the classroom are expected to be in place before the beginning of the school year.
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Manitoba
In Manitoba, students in kindergarten to Grade 8 will not be permitted to use cell phones at any time while at school. High school students are free to use devices during breaks and lunch, but not during class time, the Government of Manitoba said in its Aug. 15 announcement.
As in other provinces, exceptions will be made for medical or accessibility reasons. High school students may also be able to use devices for learning purposes when directed by teachers.
School divisions are expected to have policies in place by the time students head back to class in September.
New Brunswick
In New Brunswick, an existing policy on cellphone use in schools was updated in May.
Students who need their devices for medical reasons will still be allowed to have them.
Students or parents must sign a form committing to respect the regulations and policies around the use of devices at school.
Device restrictions apply to students’ phones even if they are using a personal data plan rather than the school Wi-Fi, the government said.
The government said schools must develop policies on the use of devices, which can include the taking of students’ devices if rules are not being followed.
Newfoundland and Labrador
The provincial government in Newfoundland and Labrador has told media that it’s not banning cellphones in classrooms, and that it’s up to individual teachers and schools to decide the rules in the classroom.
Nova Scotia
Students in Nova Scotia will need to turn off their devices and put them out of sight during instruction time at school, the government announced in June.
Junior high and high school teachers can make exceptions for students to use phones in the classroom if it is for instructional purposes, according to the regulations. However, students in elementary schools must have their phones stored for the entire day.
Schools with older students can allow devices to be used during breaks and lunch, the government said.
Exceptions can be made for students who require devices for medical or learning needs.
Ontario
Ontario has had cellphone restrictions since 2019 but recently announced it would be tightening compliance.
For students in Grades 7 to 12, devices can be used during breaks and lunchtime but not during class time.
Exceptions will be given if a teacher permits devices as part of classroom learning or if a student needs the device for health or medical reasons or as a support for education purposes.
Students who do not comply with the policy will be asked to surrender their phones, for the duration of the class for Grades 7-12 and for the remainder of the day for younger grades. Students who refuse are to be sent to the principal’s office and could face suspension.
Prince Edward Island
PEI’s government in July said that following national trends and feedback heard from the province’s educators, the use of cellular devices will be prohibited in the upcoming school year.
Quebec
Cell phone use in classrooms has been forbidden in Quebec since Dec. 31, 2023.
Saskatchewan
The Saskatchewan government announced in August that phones won’t be allowed in classrooms for students in kindergarten to Grade 12, starting in September.
High school students can be given an exemption if the device is needed for instructional purposes. Exceptions will also be made for students who need the device for health reasons or to support learning needs.
