Alberta’s government is stepping in to help families cope with the ongoing teachers’ strike, offering new financial and educational supports to reduce disruptions for students and parents.Parents of children with complex care needs will receive additional payments through the Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) program. Families with children 12 and under will get $30 per instructional day, while children 13 and older will receive $60 per day. Combined with the previously announced Parent Payment Program, some families could receive up to $300 per five-day school week. Parents will need their child’s FSCD File ID to access funds, with applications handled through Alberta’s online parent portal starting Oct. 14..The government is also maintaining its Parent Payment Program for children 12 and under in schools affected by the strike, providing $30 per instructional day. Families can use these funds for child care, tutoring, or other activities to keep students engaged while schools are closed.Additional supports include a temporary child care subsidy for children in Grades 1 through 6 attending full-time out-of-school care, with rates increasing to a maximum of $644 for October. Alberta is also lifting the 10-credit per year limit on distance education for high school students, allowing continued credit accumulation, and expanding home education grants to cover up to 50% of costs, up to $450.50 per child.Provincial museums and heritage sites will offer free admission for all Albertans aged 18 and under during the strike, including the Royal Alberta Museum, Royal Tyrrell Museum, and Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. .Expanded hours and programming aim to provide additional learning opportunities for families.To further support learning at home, Alberta Education and Childcare has released a free toolkit for parents, aligned with the K-12 curriculum and available in English, French, and French immersion, with weekly updates on core subjects.All payments are retroactive to Oct. 6 and will continue until the strike ends. The government notes these funds are redirected from teacher salaries that would not be paid during the labour action.
