Sherwood Park, AB. — Today, the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) announced members across Alberta—including all teachers from Elk Island Public Schools—plan to begin strike action starting Oct. 6, 2025. At this point, a strike is not certain, as negotiations are still ongoing. Teachers will only strike if an agreement with the province's collective bargaining group isn’t reached by the specified date.

“The EIPS Board of Trustees fears a teacher strike is imminent if an agreement isn’t reached soon,” says Cathy Allen, the Board Chair of EIPS. “That said, both sides prefer to reach an agreement rather than to strike, and we remain hopeful all sides will reach an agreement soon to avoid any classroom impacts.”

At issue: ATA teachers are asking for a clear plan from the province’s collective bargaining group to address class size, classroom complexity, violence in schools and compensation. Currently, the ATA and the province’s Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association are negotiating a deal that works for both sides. EIPS is not involved in the negotiation process. It maintains a positive relationship with both sides and hopes an agreement is reached quickly to minimize learning disruptions. No further negotiation dates have been identified at this time.

“As a Board, we respect the negotiation process and will do our part to ensure it continues without interference,” says Allen. “Regardless of what happens, our primary focus remains students and their learning—providing high-quality education to all students in welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environments.”

Learning: EIPS will continue to monitor the situation and evaluate its impact on school operations. If there is a general strike, it will impact close to 17,950 students across the Division. As such, EIPS will have no choice but to close schools. All student transportation services and EIPS extracurricular activities, including field trips; clubs and committee meetings; and sports competitions, practices and games, will also need to be suspended until classes resume.

To prepare, EIPS families should make alternate arrangements for their children in the event there is a strike. Childcare centres located in EIPS schools may remain open—contact the childcare provider directly for more information on any changes to their operations. Existing lease agreements and after-hours rentals already booked also remain in place.

As always, families will receive regular email updates from the Division when new information becomes available about the situation, its potential impact on school operations, and what it means for them and their child. In the meantime, visit eips.ca for the latest labour information, news and updates.

EIPS thanks all stakeholders for their continued co-operation and understanding.

Elk Island Public Schools is one of Alberta’s largest school divisions, serving approximately 17,950 students in 43 schools. We are proud to be an integral part of our communities, including Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan, Vegreville, Strathcona and Lamont counties, and the western portion of the County of Minburn.

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For more information, media can contact:
Laura McNabb, Director, Communication Services, EIPS 780-417-8204 cell 780-405-4902