Can’t speak for all regions. My Canadian public school experience was quite different.

Are you sure? Most people spend their childhood in a concrete box without realizing there is anything strange about that.

Yep. I imagine for the less fortunate it’s shocking and sometimes hard to believe. I’ve had American friends describe their high school as a “holding pen,” which was equally shocking.

Does Canada have independent school district funding concept?

Not sure about every province. In Ontario property taxes cover an amount and then the province covers the rest to bring it up to the mandated funding level for all schools. So even schools in low income areas get the same funding. It also means regions with plenty of local wealth cover their own costs.