Living in Regent Park
Schools in Regent Park
Regent Park Public School on Dundas Street East is the anchor TDSB elementary school for the neighbourhood, serving Junior Kindergarten through Grade 6. It's one of the schools most directly affected by the Regent Park revitalization, and its student population reflects the area's genuine mix of long-established families and newer arrivals.
Public elementary schools
Catholic elementary schools
TCDSB elementary schools in the surrounding area serve Catholic families in Regent Park. Given the neighbourhood's boundaries within C08, families are typically directed to Catholic elementary schools in the Cabbagetown-South St. James Town or South Riverdale zones. Because the TCDSB catchment lines don't map directly onto Toronto's neighbourhood boundaries, it's worth using the TCDSB's address-lookup tool before making any assumptions. A registered baptismal certificate is required for priority Catholic school enrollment, and families who are not Catholic can still apply but stand on a different part of the waitlist.
French immersion
French immersion entry in the TDSB for families in Regent Park typically means looking outside the immediate neighbourhood, since not every local school offers a core French immersion stream starting in Grade 1. Families committed to French immersion generally register through the TDSB's French as a Second Language office, which manages placements across the board. Demand for early French immersion in the broader C08 area is high, and registration opens in January for the following September. It's common for families in Regent Park to be assigned a French immersion spot at a school several minutes away by transit or school bus, so working out that logistics early matters.
Secondary schools
Regent Park falls within the catchment for Riverdale Collegiate Institute on Gerrard Street East, a TDSB high school with a long history in the east-central Toronto community. Riverdale offers a standard Ontario Secondary School Diploma program and has arts programming. Families with students interested in specialized secondary programs, including the arts-focused or technology-focused programs offered at other TDSB schools across the city, can apply through the TDSB's optional attendance process, which is separate from catchment enrollment. Closer to the Church-Yonge Corridor edge of Regent Park, Jarvis Collegiate Institute is another TDSB secondary school that some families consider, particularly for its International Baccalaureate program.
Private school alternatives
Several independent and private schools operate within a short distance of Regent Park. The neighbourhood's location puts it within reach of schools along Jarvis Street and in the Cabbagetown area, and families willing to travel into the Church-Yonge Corridor or further into midtown have a wider range of independent options. Because naming schools with certainty matters here, the honest answer is that Regent Park itself doesn't have a private school on its doorstep, but its transit access, specifically the 505 Dundas streetcar and the 501, makes reaching schools in adjacent areas straightforward for older students.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my catchment school in Regent Park?
The TDSB's school locator tool at tdsb.on.ca lets you enter your exact address and see your assigned elementary and secondary school. That's the right starting point, not a neighbour's information or a realtor's assumption, because catchment lines in Regent Park are tighter than they appear on a map. The neighbourhood's redevelopment over the past decade has introduced new residential buildings whose addresses weren't on the original catchment maps, which means some streets have been reassigned or are still being updated. If you're buying a pre-construction or recently completed unit, call the TDSB directly to confirm, since online tools don't always reflect the newest addresses. It's also worth knowing that enrollment at your catchment school isn't guaranteed until you register in person.
Is there French immersion in Regent Park?
French immersion isn't offered at every school in the immediate Regent Park area, so families who want it should plan to register through the TDSB's centralized French as a Second Language process rather than expecting it to be available at their catchment school. Registration for the following September typically opens in January, and you need to be registered with TDSB at that point to be part of the process. Waitlists for early French immersion in central Toronto are real and can be long, particularly for schools that are convenient by transit from C08. If French immersion is a deciding factor in your purchase, you'll want to research which schools currently offer it and how accessible they are from the specific address you're considering before you firm up your offer.
What secondary schools serve Regent Park?
Riverdale Collegiate Institute on Gerrard Street East is the primary catchment secondary school for most Regent Park addresses. It offers a full Ontario curriculum and has established arts programming alongside its general academic stream. Families whose students want a specialized program, such as the IB program at Jarvis Collegiate Institute or arts and technology programs at other TDSB schools, can apply through optional attendance, which requires a separate application and isn't guaranteed. The TDSB's secondary optional attendance window opens each year with specific deadlines, so if you're buying with a current Grade 8 student in the family, the timing of your purchase relative to that application window is actually worth thinking about.
Are there private school options near Regent Park?
Regent Park itself doesn't have a private school on its streets, but the neighbourhood's position in central-east Toronto puts it within reasonable reach of independent schools in Cabbagetown, the Church-Yonge Corridor and further north toward Rosedale and Summerhill. For older students who can navigate transit independently, the 505 Dundas streetcar and the 501 Queen streetcar connect Regent Park to a wide range of school locations without needing a car. Families considering private schooling as part of their decision to buy in Regent Park should map out commute times from specific addresses they're evaluating, since a ten-minute difference in location within the neighbourhood can translate into a noticeably different morning commute to a private school campus.
