Questions rise over Alberta schools’ emergency preparedness after Tumbler Ridge tragedy

In the wake of the devastating mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., parents across Alberta are grappling with a difficult question: How prepared are our schools if tragedy strikes closer to home?

The shooting incident in northeastern B.C. on Tuesday left nine people dead, including the shooter, according to RCMP.

The scale of the violence has prompted renewed scrutiny of emergency protocols in schools across the province.

Both Calgary and Edmonton school boards say they have established procedures in place, but students and parents report varying levels of communication and practice.

Some Calgary students say they’ve participated in drills, though not always consistently.

“We have our common procedure, which is just get to the back of the class, hide behind benches or whatever,” said student Rylan McCluskey. “But that’s pretty much it, just lock the doors and stay quiet.”

Another student recalled only a single fire drill earlier in the school year, with no recent lockdown exercises.

In response to questions, the Calgary Catholic School District said each of its schools has an emergency response plan and conducts two lockdown drills annually, along with fire drills and other safety procedures. Edmonton Catholic Schools reported conducting three lockdown drills per year.

The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) emphasized that all potential threats are taken seriously. Edmonton Public Schools added that during lockdowns, interior doors remain locked while staff and students stay quiet and out of sight.

“Each situation that arises requires an appropriate level of response,” the CBE said in a statement. “We would act quickly on any evidence that would require any school to initiate critical incident protocols or procedures.”

Parents, however, say communication from schools can be inconsistent.

“I know in the past that they’ve done lockdown drills, but as far as anything recent, I haven’t received anything,” said Calgary parent Katrina Olson‑Mottahed.

Another parent, Victoria Reed, said her daughter’s kindergarten class practiced a lockdown drill at the start of the school year, but she hasn’t heard anything since. Reed believes communication is just as important as the drills themselves.

“Really finding the balance between keeping them safe and communicating to them ways that they can stay safe, and also trusting the systems that we have in place,” she said.

Both Calgary and Edmonton school boards say mental‑health supports are available for students who may be feeling anxious, and encourage children to speak with a teacher or trusted adult if they need help.