Alberta families affected by the ongoing teacher strike can now apply for financial relief through the province’s new Parent Payment Program, which opened Tuesday.The government is offering $30 per day, per student aged 12 and under who attends a public, Catholic or francophone school affected by the labour disruption. The payments are intended to help parents cover added expenses such as child care, tutoring or other learning supports while schools remain closed.Applications can be made at parentpayment.Alberta.ca or through a link on Alberta.ca. The government says these are the only legitimate sites to access the program..Families with children who have active Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) agreements will receive additional aid. Those with children aged 12 and under will qualify for an extra $30 per child per school day — bringing total support to $300 per week — while those with children aged 13 to 17 will receive $60 per day, also totalling $300 per five-day week.Payments will be retroactive to October 6 and will be issued on the last day of each month, with the first round going out by e-transfer on October 31. Only one parent or guardian per child can apply.To be eligible, applicants must be Alberta residents and have a verified Alberta.ca account. The government said the funds are being redirected from teacher salaries that are not being paid during the strike and will not count as taxable income or affect other benefits.
