• Alberta government to end DEI public sector hiring

  Source: Global News Politics
  Date: 2026-10-27 21:37:20.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Governance, Labour, Education]

  The Alberta government tabled a new legislative bill under Premier Danielle Smith to prohibit public bodies—including public agencies, Crown corporations, post-secondary schools, school boards, and municipalities—from utilizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in hiring decisions. The proposed legislation mandates that hiring must be based strictly on merit and qualifications. Furthermore, the bill prohibits public bodies from implementing mandatory DEI training for staff unless deemed strictly necessary for the job, and government officials indicated that the policy may eventually extend to non-profit agencies receiving government grants through future regulations.

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• 'Undermining the very profession': Alberta Teachers' Association gives province straight Ds one year after historic strike

  Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
  Date: 2026-10-27 19:34:36.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Education, Labour, Governance]

  One year after the 23-day strike by 51,000 teachers that ended with the provincial passage of Bill 2 (the Back to School Act), Alberta Teachers' Association President Jason Schilling gave the Government of Alberta straight Ds regarding class sizes, complexity, and teacher salaries. Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides countered that the 2026 provincial budget allocated a record $10.8 billion to education—a $722 million increase from 2025—and noted the hiring of over 2,100 new teachers, including 566 staff for complexity teams. Schilling maintained that classrooms remain overcrowded, citing instances of 37 students in a single high school class, and argued the province has fallen short of the 5,000 new teachers needed.

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• Alberta referendum questions don't target permanent residents, new Canadians: Schow

  Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
  Date: 2026-09-28 11:05:03.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Immigration, Labour, Healthcare, Education, Governance]

  Alberta Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration Joseph Schow defended the upcoming October 19, 2026 referendum ballot, which features five questions asking Albertans if they wish to take more control over immigration policies, reduce temporary foreign worker and student numbers, and require temporary residents to contribute to education and healthcare costs. Schow stated the measures target an influx of temporary foreign workers and students that have strained public systems and contributed to a youth unemployment rate of 15 per cent. According to federal statistics cited, a total of 385,000 foreign workers and students are expected in Canada this year, with caps dropping to 370,000 in both 2027 and 2028.

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• Alberta commits $148.4 million over three years to create 8,000 new seats in high-demand post-secondary programs

  Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
  Date: 2026-09-11 19:53:56.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Education, Labour, Economy, Healthcare]

  The Government of Alberta is committing $148.4 million over three years to create 8,000 new post-secondary seats across 21 institutions, targeting high-demand fields such as engineering, health, sciences, nursing, education, technology, and trades. Specific allocations include over 1,100 seats at the University of Alberta (including Augustana Campus and Campus Saint Jean), 1,600 seats at the University of Calgary, and over 170 seats at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). Additionally, $15 million is dedicated to creating about 1,000 seats in education programs, which includes $3 million set aside over three years for up to 86 new seats in expedited teaching certificate pathways.

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• Free course covering basics of AI to be available to all Canadians by end of the year

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-09-09 18:46:13.0
  Tags: [National, Alberta, Technology, Education, Labour]

  The federal government, through Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Evan Solomon, announced a $13 million investment to launch the National AI Literacy Initiative in partnership with the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (AMII). The initiative provides three free, self-paced online courses covering the basics of artificial intelligence, responsible use, and workplace readiness skills. Training for K-12 educators and post-secondary students launches on September 21, while a third course titled 'Essentials for Canadians' will become available via Employment and Social Development Canada's Job Bank and community partners by the end of the year.

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• NAIT breaks ground on Advanced Skill Centre planned for 2030

  Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
  Date: 2026-09-08 22:44:42.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Infrastructure, Education, Labour, Economy]

  The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology has broken ground on its new 625,000-square-foot Advanced Skills Centre on its main Edmonton campus, slated for completion by 2030. The $779 million capital project is funded 75 per cent ($384 million) by the Government of Alberta, with the remaining 25 per cent provided by Northern Alberta Institute of Technology through internal resources, donors, and industry partners. The facility will consolidate 29 programs spanning construction, transportation, manufacturing, and energy, enabling the institution to train an additional 5,500 students and bring total annual capacity to over 15,000 students.

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• New school year brings more teachers and tighter rules on politics in Alberta classrooms

  Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
  Date: 2026-09-02 21:12:43.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Education, Labour, Governance]

  Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced new rules under Bill 25 (An Act to Remove Politics and Ideology from Classrooms and Amend the Education Act, 2026) restricting school boards, staff, and students from discussing politically charged topics and taking positions on social issues. Beginning December 1, amendments to teacher professional conduct regulations will require objectivity and balanced presentation of issues. Additionally, the provincial government hired 2,127 new teachers for the school year, which includes 566 teachers allocated as part of 699 funded complexity teams intended to support students across kindergarten to grade 12.

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