Education property tax is the portion of property taxes levied to fund elementary and secondary education, collected by municipalities but transferred to provincial governments for distribution to school boards. This system exists because property tax provides a stable, broad-based revenue source, but education funding requires provincial coordination to ensure equitable resources across communities regardless of local property wealth. The education tax rate is typically set provincially (uniformly or by region), while municipalities collect it along with their own taxes for administrative efficiency. Property owners see the education portion itemized on tax bills. Some provinces have reformed this system—Alberta's education property tax is collected provincially, while Ontario's education levy appears on municipal bills. The education property tax represents a substantial revenue flow, often billions of dollars annually in larger provinces.