School absenteeism is growing across Canada and skyrocketing in these Quebec districts

Finding school too overwhelming, 17-year-old Lily Boucher Rodriguez stopped going altogether after almost two years of intermittent attendance.

“I was skipping [classes] in the bathroom because I was really anxious about everything and about people,” she says. 

“School in general is a lot when you're different. It's hard because you get bullied a lot.”

Boucher Rodriguez says she found a calm and non-judgmental environment where she can focus on her studies at L’Ancre des Jeunes, a community organization that helps young people re-engage with learning through personalized support. 

“Everyone has their path, it’s very important to just finish yours,” said Rodriguez.

Besides homework support in the afternoons, the organization, located in Montreal’s Verdun borough, offers programs for teens and young adults to help them get back on track after they’ve dropped out of school.

Public school district data obtained by CBC News shows  the rate of school absenteeism has grown across the country in elementary and secondary schools over the last few years. And Quebec is no different.

Some of the kids who use the organizations’ services have missed months, even years of school, says program co-ordinator Florence Fontaine.

She says kids can be referred to the organization by parents, social workers or by youth protection if they miss large amounts of school time. The participants who spoke with CBC News were not referred by youth protection.

Kids might miss school for mental health reasons, due to bullying or trouble at home, says Fontaine. She says some kids also end up participating in their programs after years of academic difficulties. 

“The system is not equipped to adapt to their learning process. So, they will eventually get demotivated to go to school because it’s too hard for them. They will just try to go less and less,” Fontaine said.

In Montreal, student attendance has plummeted.

Data from the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM) — the province’s largest school service centre — show that unexcused absences have gone up by 85 per cent in elementary schools between the 2018-2019 and 2024-2025 academic school years. An unexcused absence means there is no communication from the parent or guardian.

Meanwhile, there’s been a two per cent decrease in the number of students.