AI Use in Canadian Classrooms Linked to Skill Declines, Teacher Poll Finds

Recent surveys of Canadian teachers indicate that the use of artificial intelligence by students is widespread and is associated with reported declines in several academic skills.

According to a Leger poll commissioned by the Fraser Institute, four out of ten teachers in grades 6 through 12 believe that more than half of their students use AI tools to help complete homework assignments. The findings suggest that AI is now a common presence in Canadian classrooms, particularly for take-home work.

The same poll found that 72.9% of teachers observed a decrease in students’ in-class writing and analytical abilities over the past five years. Additionally, 83.6% of respondents reported that students’ critical thinking skills have declined compared to students from five years ago.

Teachers also reported that the quality of in-class work is often lower than that of homework. A majority indicated this gap has been growing, with 90.9% of those teachers stating the difference has increased over time.

What the numbers show

• 55.9% of students using AI for homework are thought to be using it inappropriately.
• 88.2% of Ontario teachers said in-class work is lower quality than homework.
• Only 50.7% of Ontario teachers said their school has a policy on student AI use.

Regional data from the poll show that the perception of lower in-class work quality compared to homework is highest in Ontario at 88.2%, followed by Alberta at 84.6%, British Columbia at 78.6%, and Atlantic Canada at 75.9%. These findings indicate that the trend is observed across multiple provinces.

In Ontario, a separate Fraser Institute-commissioned poll released in June 2026 found that 57.9% of teachers said they have not received training or tools to detect student use of AI in take-home assignments. Furthermore, 54.3% of Ontario teachers reported not being trained to instruct students on the appropriate use of AI.

School policy on AI use varies, with only about half of Ontario teachers reporting that their school has a policy for student AI use, and just over 41% stating there is a policy for staff AI use. This suggests that formal guidelines for AI in education remain inconsistent across schools.

Paige MacPherson, a senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and a co-author of the survey, said in a statement that teachers report substantial numbers of students using AI inappropriately and that declines in critical thinking, writing, and analysis skills have been observed.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.