Are house final sale prices in Canada public or private information?

I was recently having a conversation with someone who purchased a home and I asked what they paid. They were a little taken back and said they got a good deal. I was under the impression that house sale prices were public information, is that true?

Yes it is true. It is public information. Not easy to find sometimes,but it is available. The Realtors all have access to the closed properties and what they sold for.