I am sponsoring my spouse who is currently in Canada as a visitor along with her dependent child. We are about to submit an OWP application as she has already received AOR on the spousal application.
For her dependent child (age 8), do we also need to submit an OWP application for her kid? We’d like for her to start going to school in Canada - do we need to submit a study permit for her kid along with OWP or would she be allowed to attend school in with an OWP alone?
No OWP for child needed.
You can look at this table:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit/prepare/minor-children.html
The case of a child who is dependent of a parent in process of being sponsored is not specifically addressed, but: there are two cases that could apply. Child in Canada, parent is a PR, or child in Canada, parent has an OWP - no study permit in either case needed (but recommended in latter case).
So given circumstances, I'd personally go without a study permit.
As for the school board: I'd present the case as the child also being dependent of you, the sponsor, by marriage, and therefore clearly no need for study permit and (most likely) entitled to education.
This interpretation may not work with the public school boards, but I think most are not aggressive about this particular aspect (and they don't want children to not go to school, but they do have requirements from the province). Just tell the truth - the spouse and child are your dependents, and are in Canada as visitors, with spousal sponsorship in process (AOR if they want evidence of that). Work permit also in process.
Again, I'd be surprised if school board was actively trying to keep the kid out, esp if the kid will end up in the public school system in six months anyway.
That said: situation can vary by province and by city.
You may want to consider putting the kid in a private school for a few months esp if there are any delays. We used a private montessori school for a period, which was smaller, a bit easier for the kid to adapt socially etc (our kid didn't have much English to begin either). There are more of these smaller schools for grades 1-3 as well, lots of parents use these for the lower primary.
