The strike Alberta didn’t deserve

None of this is to dismiss the challenges teachers face. The job is demanding in normal circumstances, requiring specialized training and a broad set of skills. In Alberta, those demands have intensified. The province’s rapid population growth—driven in part by record levels of immigration and temporary workers—has put immense strain on schools. Alberta now has the youngest population in the country, with 19 percent of residents under the age of 14. That demographic reality means more students in classrooms, more complex needs, and more pressure on teachers. Compounding this is the lingering impact of COVID-19. Two years of interrupted learning, social isolation, and academic setbacks have left educators on the front lines of recovery, helping students regain confidence and skills while dealing with the emotional and behavioural toll of the pandemic. These are not small burdens. It is understandable that teachers want more resources to manage them. One of the biggest pressures facing Alberta’s education system stems from a federal immigration approach that has expanded population growth without a clear plan for how provinces will accommodate it. Alberta has received a disproportionate share of newcomers in recent years, many of whom arrive with diverse educational needs and language barriers that require additional classroom supports. There are clear benefits to immigration, which Alberta has long benefited from, but the pace and scale of recent growth have outstripped the province’s ability to build new schools and hire teachers fast enough. This is not just an education issue but a broader fiscal one, as rapid population increases drive up costs in housing, health care, and infrastructure, placing strain on provincial budgets already stretched to meet record demand. Yet Alberta is not starting from a place of neglect. When comparisons are made to other provinces, Alberta students consistently score much higher than the national average. The province spends more than ever on education, though those figures can look less favourable when divided by student numbers because of Alberta’s large student population and the sheer pace of growth. In truth, rapid enrolment increases have made it difficult for funding to keep pace with demand, even when overall spending is rising. Past negotiations also provide perspective. Between 2015 and 2019, under an NDP government, teachers accepted a two-year wage freeze while securing $75 million in classroom supports. Today, the government is offering higher wages, more staff, and significant capital spending on new schools. In light of this, compensation alone may not be the issue. Broader questions about working conditions, class sizes, and long-term planning are likely at play. For parents, the stakes are clear. They want stability for their children after years of disruption. They value the work teachers do and recognize the difficult environment in which they operate, but they also expect accountability from all parties to avoid the unnecessary conflict the province is now embroiled in. Parents understand that inflation affects teachers as it does everyone else, but they also see the considerable efforts already made to improve pay, benefits, and classroom resources. Ending this strike will require constructive dialogue and realistic expectations. Teachers deserve respect for the work they do, and taxpayers deserve recognition for the significant contributions they already make to one of Canada’s most competitive education systems. The government has made a substantial offer, but only clear and open communication from the ATA about its priorities will make it possible to find common ground. There is welcome news that this week, the teachers and the government will be returning to the bargaining table with a mediator. Parents across the province will hope to see a solution or, at the very least, learn what is needed for this strike to end. Labour disputes are never simple, and Alberta’s demographic and economic pressures make them even more complex. But the guiding principle should remain clear: Families need continuity in their children’s education. Parents do not like seeing schools shuttered and classrooms silenced because neither side can set out a path to compromise. A strike of this scale is unprecedented in Alberta, and it comes at a time when stability in education is more important than ever. The challenge now is for both sides to move toward a resolution grounded in transparency, accountability, and a shared commitment to students.