Bill 2: Back to School Act FAQ

An Alberta flag flaps in the breeze with Mt. Kidd in the background at the site of the G7 Leaders meeting in Kananaskis, Alta., Monday, June 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

What does Bill 2 do?

Bill 2 ends the provincewide teachers’ strike and legislates a full teacher collective agreement for Sept. 1, 2024, through Aug. 31, 2028. It establishes terms across both central and local matters in one agreement and directs an immediate return to work.

When do classes resume?

Teachers and students return together on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. This is a mid-year restart, not a new-year setup; instruction is expected to pick up where it left off.

What are the key terms of the agreement?

• Salary: 12 per cent general increase over four years (three per cent each year);
• Market adjustments: Up to 17 per cent (via a unified salary grid) for about 95 per cent of teachers;
• Staffing: 3,000 net-new teachers and 1,500 educational assistants to reduce class sizes and support students with complex needs;
• Duration: Sept. 1, 2024, to Aug. 31, 2028;
• Local bargaining: Suspended for the term; and
• Penalties: Fines of up to $500 per day for individuals and $500,000 per day for organizations that defy the return-to-work order.

Are extracurriculars (sports, clubs, trips) allowed and will they run?

Extracurriculars are not categorically banned or guaranteed. Whether a specific activity proceeds depends on whether it falls within a teacher’s assigned duties or reasonable professional responsibilities.

• If a withdrawal targets duties reasonably expected within the teaching role, it may be treated as illegal job action; and
• Voluntary activities outside professional responsibilities will be assessed case by case by school divisions.

Does Bill 2 use the notwithstanding clause? Which Charter sections are overridden?

The legislation operates notwithstanding Charter section 2 and sections 7–15 for the term of this collective agreement (to Aug. 31, 2028). This use shields the Act from legal challenges and limits strike or lockout rights during this period.

How long does the notwithstanding declaration last? Can it be renewed?

The declaration is confined to the agreement term ending Aug. 31, 2028. Under the Charter, a notwithstanding clause can last up to five years and be renewed by the legislature; Bill 2 limits its effect to this contract’s term.

Has Alberta has used the notwithstanding clause before?

Yes. Alberta previously used it in 2000 in relation to the Marriage Act. Bill 2 marks the second use.

What are the penalties for non-compliance or illegal job action?

• Individuals: Up to $500 per day; and
• Organizations: Up to $500,000 per day.

Penalties apply only from the date the law takes effect; they are not retroactive.

Does this apply only to teachers? What about a general strike?

The bill applies to teachers and their union organizations. Any other labour action would fall under the Labour Relations Code and be handled by the Alberta Labour Relations Board.

Why legislate a full agreement instead of a back-to-work order or arbitration?

Officials say the unique three-phase bargaining model for teachers creates risks of multiple local strikes even after central bargaining ends.

They also cite a $2-billion gap between the government’s position and the ATA’s counter-proposal following the rejected deal. Legislating the full agreement resolves both issues at once and prevents further disruption.

Will teachers be allowed to work-to-rule?

There is no blanket permission for work-to-rule. Any reduction of work that cuts into reasonable professional responsibilities may be treated as illegal job action.

Does the bill change the school calendar or mandate makeup days?

No. The legislation does not prescribe calendar changes. School divisions will manage instructional time recovery locally.

Are the 3,000 new teachers on top of population-growth funding?

Yes. The commitment is for net-new hires over and above attrition and separate from annual population-growth funding.

What happens to local bargaining for 2024–2028?

Local bargaining is suspended. Existing provisions carry forward except where centralized terms now apply.

Is a new “task force” part of the law?

No. Bill 2 itself doesn’t create a new task force, but the government has formed a Classroom Complexity Action Team under a separate initiative.

Classroom Complexity and Safety Action Team

What is the government doing about classroom complexity?

Alongside Bill 2, the province has announced a new initiative called “Taking Action on Classroom Complexity.” It follows the draft final report of the Aggression and Complexity in Schools Action Team, which consulted with educators, families and disability groups earlier in 2025.

The province says it will:

• Establish a working group to implement the report’s recommendations;
• Replace the 2004 Standards for Special Education;
• Collect annual data on class size and composition starting November 2025; and
• Continue hiring 3,000 teachers and 1,500 educational assistants over three years, with funding that can also support assessments, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech-language services.

Why link this to Bill 2?

The province says classroom aggression and complexity were major issues raised by teachers during bargaining. By combining new staffing commitments with safety measures, the government says it aims to address the causes of teacher stress and restore classroom stability after the strike.

How does the imposed agreement match what the teachers rejected in September?