hard to tell anything from pictures,
But everyone should be able to tell paint from crud and oxidation in person,
unless they have been kept blindfolded & in a basement their whole life.
so I'm taking lovewiibrew's saying it is paint as "it's Paint"
Special limited mintage edition. Since only Canadian circulating quarters are colourful, I would take a guess and say that it is a direct response from the American coinage.