Exit Requirement: Foreign Identity Card?

I am currently doing a 4 month long academic exchange in São Bernardo Do Campo. I completed the federal police registration requirements a while ago. However, I have recently received an email about picking up my foreign identity card at the station in São Paulo.

My flight back to Canada is next week, and I do not feel like busing into the centre of the city with my limited time . Is this card a required in order to exit the country?

If you're returning to Canada with no intention to ever come back to Brazil, then yeah, might as well screw it - they'll probably let you leave.  If you do hope to come back, though, get your papers straight.