Letter from Minister of Education - Supporting Student Learning During Labour Action
October 8, 2025
Dear parents,
I know these past weeks have been challenging for families across our province. With
labour action now resulting in closed schools, I want you to know Alberta’s government
has a plan to support your family, ease some of the challenges you’re facing, and help
kids keep learning.
Parent toolkit
We have created a parent toolkit packed with weekly resources that follow the K-12
curriculum. Whether your child learns in English, French or French Immersion, you will
find materials to keep them engaged and learning.
Financial support for parents
If your child is 12 or under and attends a public, separate, or francophone school
affected by the disruption, you may qualify for a non-taxable payment of $30 per child,
per day, retroactive to October 6. Payments will be sent by e-transfer, and it’s easy to
apply online. We are also exploring ways to enhance supports for families of children
with complex needs.
It’s important to note that these financial supports are not new funding. We are
redirecting funds from teacher salaries that will not be paid during labour action to
support families.
The portal to apply for payments will launch on October 14.
Learn more about parent payments.
Childcare and out-of-school care
To find information about licensed childcare programs and family day home agencies,
you can use the Child Care Lookup tool or call Child Care Connect toll-free at 1-844-
644-5165.
To ease the financial burden on families who require additional hours of childcare during
the strike, government will increase October subsidy rates for eligible children in grades
1 to 6 who are attending licensed out-of-school care full time.
Out-of-school care programs can also provide all-day childcare for children under 13
years old when classes are not being offered.
Free admission at provincial museums
For the duration of labour action, students 18 and under have free admission Monday to
Friday at select provincial museums and historic sites. Students 14 and under must be
accompanied by an adult.
Distance and home education
We know many parents want their children to continue learning without interruption. To
help, we are giving students more flexibility to keep earning credits through distance
education. You may also choose to enrol your child in a home education program with a
supervising independent school. Families interested in home education can enrol with a
supervising independent school and receive grants for the first term of the 2025/26
school year.
During this uncertain time, we are committed to supporting families. By offering practical
tools and financial assistance, we hope to ease the pressure on you as caregivers and
ensure that students continue to learn and thrive. We will continue to monitor the education system closely and make necessary decisions to support the well-being and
success of students.
For more details and updates on all the supports we’re offering families, visit
alberta.ca/parent-supports-during-school-closure.
Best,
Demetrios Nicolaides ECA PhD
Minister of Education and Childcare