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Alberta Teachers’ Strike Set for Monday as Union Rallies and Talks Drag On

Teachers cite class-size caps as the key sticking point.

A rally in support of teachers on the cusp of a province-wide teachers' strike in Alberta drew thousands to the Alberta legislature grounds Sunday morning. Photo by David Bloom/Postmedia
Hundreds of students walked out of classrooms on Monday, September 22, 2025 to rally at the Alberta Legislature as a teachers strike looms.
Costs are adding up quickly for Canadians.
Western Canada High School students in Calgary head out on their lunch break on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. The Alberta Teachers Association announced Wednesday that more than 40,000 Alberta public school teachers plan to strike on Oct. 6 unless a settlement is reached through bargaining. Gavin Young/Postmedia

Overview

  • Thousands rallied in Edmonton and Calgary on Sunday as the Alberta Teachers’ Association said its 51,000 members are prepared to walk out, affecting more than 700,000 students in 2,500 schools.
  • The province’s latest offer includes roughly 12% in wage increases over four years and a promise to hire 3,000 teachers alongside longer-term school construction plans.
  • Finance Minister Nate Horner says hard caps on class size are not feasible given space constraints, while the ATA counters that other provinces include such limits and preparation time in contracts.
  • Premier Danielle Smith urged the union to call off the strike, saying the sides are not far apart and noting teachers would not receive strike pay, as exploratory talks continued over the weekend.
  • Contingency measures include an online home curriculum, a $30-per-day support for children 12 and under, added child care subsidies, a temporary lift on high school distance-learning credit limits, and reimbursement options for some home education costs.