On the eve of a potential province-wide teachers’ strike, close to 30,000 Albertans gathered in Edmonton, Calgary, and across the province to send a clear message to the government: support public education — or face a full-scale shutdown of the school system.
The largest crowd formed at the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton, where teachers, parents, students, and community members rallied on World Teachers’ Day, holding signs, chanting, and sharing stories of a school system under pressure.
“We Will Be on Strike Tomorrow”
“Right now, a strike is imminent. We will be on strike tomorrow (Monday),” said Jason Schilling, President of the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA).
Schilling described the situation in Alberta’s schools as urgent, citing years of stagnant funding and rising class sizes. He warned that too many students are being left behind.
“Too many students are falling through the cracks and teachers are tired of watching them fall through the cracks faster every day,” he said.
He also called Alberta’s education system the “least-funded in the country for a decade.”
Teachers Speak Out
Lorry Kelly, a high school math teacher who spoke at the rally, shared the everyday financial stress teachers face — not just for themselves, but for their students.
“Schools are underfunded. Students deserve so much better and more. And we can’t give it to them,” she said.
“I’m at thrift stores throughout the summer looking for things that parents may not be able to supply — the calculators, the geometry sets.”
Parents Join the Movement
The rally wasn’t just educators. Parents and students joined in solidarity, frustrated with years of underfunding and policy shifts.
“They’re doing this for our kids. This is the point of the strike,” said Nancy Kirkpatrick, a parent attending the rally in Edmonton.
What’s at Stake
Over 45,000 teachers are represented by the Alberta Teachers’ Association.
More than 89% of ATA members voted to reject the latest offer from the province.
The rejected agreement proposed a 12% wage increase over four years and 3,000 new teaching positions — but teachers say it does nothing to address class size caps or systemic burnout.
If no agreement is reached, the strike could disrupt learning for nearly 700,000 students across Alberta starting Monday, October 6.
What Happens Next
So far, Premier Danielle smith and Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides have not released public responses to the rallies or the ATA’s latest demands.
The province has called on the ATA to return to the table, but with no deal by Sunday evening, teachers are preparing for picket lines.
As one teacher put it at the rally:
“We love our students. That’s why we’re doing this. We’ve tried everything else.”
