The History of Education in Canada covers schooling from elementary through university, plus the ideas of educators, plus the policies of national and provincial governments. According to Brenda B. MacKay and Michael W. Firmin, Phillips in 1957 periodized the history of public schooling in terms of four stages:
The first was characterized by church-controlled education and lasted from the early 1700s through to the mid 1800s. Stage two, which extended to the late 1800s, saw the introduction of more centralized authority, universal free education, and taxation for schooling at the local level. Stage three, the early 1900s, saw the development of provincial departments of education, a more consistent curriculum, better trained teachers and the start of provincial government financial support for schools. The fourth stage, since the Second World War, has been characterized by the appointment of Ministers of Education in each provincial government and a far greater involvement of government in all aspects of education.