UPDATE: October 3, 2025
Province-wide Teacher Strike Imminent
The Alberta Teachers’ Association has identified Monday, October 6th as the date all teachers in the province will be on strike. This means all division schools will be closed for all students, for the duration of the strike. During this time parents will not be able to communicate with their school or their children's teacher(s).
Parents and caregivers should be planning for the care of their children beginning on October 6th.
The Government of Alberta has prepared a resource page to support parents during the strike. The PARENT SUPPORTS DURING SCHOOL CLOSURE webpage provides information on the following:
- Parent Toolkit: a resource that parents can use to help support their child’s independent learning
- Parent Payment Program: a program that provides financial support for families with children age of 12 and under
- Childcare Information: Links to childcare resources
For the most up-to-date information, please monitor your email and refer to this information page.
UPDATE: September 29, 2025
Teachers Vote to Reject Latest Contract Offer
Through a province-wide vote held by members of the Alberta Teachers' Association from September 27-29, 89.9% of teachers voted in favour of rejecting the most recent contract settlement between the ATA and the Teachers' Employer Bargaining Association.
In September, the ATA issued official notice that they would commence labour action on Monday, October 6, 2025. With the latest contract being rejected by teachers, the possibility of labour disruption is very likely.
Families are advised to develop plans for the care of their children in the event of labour disruption.
Families can expect a communication from their schools in the coming days that outlines what to expect during labour disruption.
Statements from the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Teachers' Association can be found here:
UPDATE: September 24, 2025
ATA and TEBA Announce Tentative Agreement
The Alberta Teachers' Association and the Teacher's Employer Bargaining Association have reached a Memorandum of Agreement, as announced on Wednesday, September 24, 2025.
Next steps towards finalizing the agreement are for teachers across the province to participate in a vote to determine whether or not their membership accepts the proposed agreement. If necessary, following the vote by teachers, TEBA's Board of Directors will vote on behalf of the 61 school board in the province on whether or not to accept the proposed agreement.
Teacher ratification is scheduled from September 27-29.
TEBA ratification is scheduled for October 1.
If the agreement is not ratified, teachers may initiate labour action on October 6th as previously identified. Families are advised to develop plans for the care of their children in the event of labour disruption.
Statements from the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Teachers' Association can be found below:
Government of Alberta Statement
Alberta Teachers' Association Update
We will provide further information as it becomes available.
UPDATE: September 10, 2025
Today the Alberta Teachers' Association issued formal strike notification and confirmed Monday, October 6, 2025 as the date job action will commence if a deal is not reached between the ATA and TEBA before then. Both the ATA and TEBA have indicated a willingness to return to the table and it is anticipated mediated negotiations will resume as quickly as possible.
Families are advised to develop plans for the care of their children in the event of labour disruption.
A statement from the Minister of Finance can be found HERE
A statement from the ATA can be found HERE
UPDATE: August 29, 2025
Talks between the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) and the Teachers' Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) have reached an impasse and a settlement has not been reached between the province and teachers.
Statements from the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Teachers' Association can be found below:
Government of Alberta statement
Alberta Teachers' Association update
Today, representatives from the province's school boards voted in favour of authorizing 'lock-out' authority for TEBA. Similar to 'strike authorization', a lock out is a recognized option for employers to use to manage labour unrest, in the event that the ATA initiates labour disruption.
Both 'strike' and 'lock out' authorization require parties to issue 72 Hours of notice prior to initiating any type of labour action.
Schools remain open and we are hopeful that TEBA and the ATA will resume negotiations and reach a settlement that is fair to all parties.
Please refer back this website for the most current information.
Overview
Current Situation: Teacher Labour Disruption
Planning for the 2025-26 School Year
Grande Prairie Public School Division recognizes that uncertainty around potential teacher labour action may be challenging for families. The intent of this page is to provide information about potential labour action by the Alberta Teachers' Association and to describe how the division is preparing to respond.
In June, the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) reported that 94.5% of its members voted in favour of strike action. GPPSD is continuing its planning for the first day of school on August 28, 2025.
Please refer back to this page for the division's most current updates.
What Happens Next?
TEBA and the ATA continue to engage in the bargaining process and are scheduled for continuing mediation on August 26-29, 2025.
If the ATA decides to commence labour action that would have an impact during the school day, the union must provide school boards with 72 hours’ notice.
The ATA has 120 days to commence labour action, unless a resolution is reached between the provincial government's Teachers' Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) and the ATA. The 120 day window for labour action will expire in mid-October.
We value the contributions of all employees who support student success, and we respect the provincial bargaining process.
Bargaining Process
Bargaining between TEBA and the ATA occurs centrally at the provincial level. This means that items like teacher salaries are set through the provincial collective agreement, not through individual school boards.
Local bargaining between GPPSD and Trumpeter Local 26 can only commence once this process has been completed. Local bargaining typically attends to non-monetary items in the collective agreement.
We hope that TEBA and ATA are able to conclude the bargaining process as soon as possible so that a new collective agreement can be reached.
About the ATA
The ATA includes more than 46,000 certificated members across Alberta, including more than 500 who work for Grande Prairie Public School Division. The ATA is divided into 55 local bargaining units. Trumpeter Local 26 comprises members of the ATA employed by the GPPSD. This includes certificated employees including teachers, substitute teachers, assistant principals and principals.
