Alberta Town Halls Ignite Discussion on Education Funding and Challenges

Public education remains a pressing issue in Alberta as educators and community members gathered for a series of town hall meetings on December 2, 2023. Hosted by Support Our Students Alberta, these meetings took place in major cities, including Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, and Airdrie. The discussions aimed to address the ongoing challenges faced by the education system in the wake of the province’s controversial use of the notwithstanding clause, which earlier led to striking teachers being mandated back to work.

At the event in Forest Heights Park, Edmonton, participants engaged in discussions about a citizen-led petition seeking to hold a referendum on public education funding. This petition, approved by Elections Alberta in early October, questions whether taxpayer money should continue to support private schools. In 2025, approximately five percent of the government’s K-12 education budget is allocated to independent or private institutions. Canvasser Tanya Ironside emphasized the urgency of the campaign, stating, “This is a blitz. We only have a few weeks left to gather enough signatures to make this campaign a success.” As of early December, organizers reported collecting around 30,000 of the 177,000 signatures needed for the petition to proceed to the Speaker of the Legislature.

The town halls serve as a platform for educators and advocates to voice their concerns regarding the educational landscape in Alberta. Kennedy Daniels-Peterson, who attended the Forest Heights town hall, articulated the importance of keeping public education at the forefront of community discussions. “I think it needs to stay on the people’s radar… there’s no future in Alberta without public education,” she remarked.

In a bid to address the complex needs of the education system, Demetrios Nicolaides, Alberta’s Minister of Education, announced on December 1, 2023, an investment of $69 million over three years from Budget 2025. This funding aims to alleviate some of the pressures faced by public schools, a request that educators had been advocating for prior to the October strike.

However, Jason Schilling, president of the Alberta Teacher’s Association, conveyed that further changes are necessary. He urged attendees to maintain their vocal support in the coming months, particularly as Budget 2026, tentatively scheduled for announcement on February 26, 2024, approaches. “Everybody still needs to be as loud as they were during the teacher’s strike through the next couple of months to ensure that we are funding our schools appropriately,” Schilling stated.

These town halls reflect a broader effort to elevate the conversation around public education funding in Alberta. As the province navigates the complexities of educational needs, the voices of educators and community members remain vital in advocating for reforms that ensure quality education for all students.