Alberta teachers reject government request to end strike and enter mediation

By Canadian Press on October 17, 2025.

EDMONTON — The union representing Alberta teachers says its has turned down a request from the government to end a provincewide strike on Monday and go through enhanced mediation.

Alberta Teachers’ Association president Jason Schilling says the mediation process would be biased since the province isn’t willing to discuss caps on classroom sizes.

Schilling says the caps are a main sticking point in the contract dispute and teachers aren’t willing to back down.

He says the union would consider ending the strike if the government changed its mind.

The strike is in its ninth school day, with about 740,000 students out of 2,500 schools.

The 51,000 teachers walked off the job Oct. 6.

The two sides met Tuesday for the first time since the strike began, but formal talks haven’t resumed.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2025.

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press