Applications for Alberta school strike payments open today

Starting Tuesday, Alberta parents can begin applying for a government payment for their children impacted by the ongoing teachers’ strike.

The program provides direct payments to parents and guardians of children aged 12 and under enrolled in public, Catholic, or francophone schools. It offers additional support for families with children who have complex care needs.

Eligible families will receive $30 per child per instructional day, amounting to $150 per week for a standard five-day school week. The payments are intended to help offset costs related to childcare, tutoring, meals, and other learning activities while students remain out of school due to the strike.

• Payments are retroactive to Oct. 6
• Disbursements will be made via e-transfer on the last day of each month, starting Oct. 31
• The benefit is non-taxable and does not need to be repaid.

Finance Minister Nate Horner confirmed that the funds are being redirected from unspent educational grants, primarily from teachers’ salaries not being paid during the strike.

Families with active Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) agreements are eligible for enhanced payments, including an additional $30 per child per school day, for children 12 and under, and $60 per child per day for children aged 13 to 17.

No separate application is required for FSCD support, though families must provide their child’s FSCD file identification number during the application process.

To qualify for the Parent Payment Program:

• The applicant must be a parent or guardian of a child aged 12 or under.
• The child must attend a public, Catholic, or francophone school in Alberta.
• Both the applicant and child must reside in Alberta.

For FSCD-related support:

• The child must be aged 17 or under with an active FSCD agreement.

Only one parent or guardian per child may apply. Applications will be reviewed to ensure eligibility.

More information on how to apply, as well as other supports being offered for students and parents during the strike, can be found on the government website.

Meanwhile, the Alberta Teachers’ Association and the provincial bargaining committee are scheduled to meet on Tuesday for the first time since the strike began. The previous offer, rejected by educators last month, included a 12 per cent pay increase over four years and the hiring of 3,000 new teachers to reduce class sizes.

As negotiations continue, the government’s financial support aims to ease the burden on families navigating the disruption.

With files from The Canadian Press