Are More Teachers Really Coming? Alberta's Promise Under Scrutiny

Calgary’s bustling school communities are bracing for significant changes following the Alberta Government’s announcement to hire 3,000 teachers and 1,500 education assistants province-wide over the next three years. This investment is crucial as Calgary's student population continues its rapid expansion, with the Calgary Board of Education alone seeing over 17,000 new students since September 2021 and many schools operating at or near capacity.

However, the initiative comes with a contentious backdrop. Local educators are raising concerns that funding, while allocated for hiring, could be diverted to other supports like therapy and assessments. This flexibility is embedded within the collective agreement, which was legislated by Bill 2, the "Back to School Act," on October 27, 2025. The act, which mandated the hiring, was imposed after teachers overwhelmingly rejected a similar offer and concluded a 22-day province-wide strike that began on October 6, 2025.

As of October 31, 2025, the legislated agreement also includes a 12% salary increase over four years, with most teachers receiving additional market adjustments of up to 17%. The Alberta Teachers’ Association had previously stated Calgary needed approximately 2,600 more teaching staff to bring class sizes in line with other major cities, making the promised hires a critical but potentially diluted measure. Many in Calgary’s educational sector feel the imposed agreement, secured using the notwithstanding clause, is a compromised victory. Calgary's schools, which saw students return to class on October 29, 2025, are now watching closely how these changes will impact classrooms and the city’s educational standards.