Alberta
Province has three scenarios for return to school in September. Final decision by August 1. Details

From the Province of Alberta
Getting ready for 2020-21 school year
A comprehensive re-entry plan for the upcoming school year allows schools and parents to prepare for learning while putting student and staff safety first.
The plan offers guidance on a wide range of operational issues including hygiene and health requirements, student learning, transportation and diploma exams. It also addresses mental health and psychological supports for students and staff.
School authorities will plan for all three scenarios for September:
- In-school classes resume (near normal operations with health measures)
- In-school classes partially resume with additional health measures
- At home learning continues (in-school classes are cancelled)
The preferred and likely scenario is that students will return to daily in-school classes at the beginning of the year. The government will share its final decision by Aug. 1 on which scenario will be in place at the beginning of the school year. However, school authorities are asked to prepare for implementing any of the three possibilities during the upcoming school year, including on short notice.
“We are providing clear direction and the certainty parents and the school system need to plan ahead and get ready for what the new school year may look like. We are hoping, and it is likely, students can return to daily classes at school while taking health precautions, but we have to prepare for all possibilities. I want to thank our education leaders, teachers and parents for their thoughtful contributions to this comprehensive plan.”
“This plan puts the interests of students and staff first. Educators, administrators, families, health professionals and government all need to work together to support a safe return to in-person classes. We continue to monitor the situation closely. The reality is, we must weigh the risk of prolonged school closures against the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks in closed settings, such as schools. A safe and successful school year will only be possible if we all work together.”
The re-entry plan balances the need for provincial standardized approaches in some areas while also providing flexibility and recognition of school authorities’ autonomy to address health guidelines in the most effective ways in their own communities.
Alberta Education worked closely with many education partners on the plan, including the Alberta School Boards Association, the Alberta Teachers’ Association, the College of Alberta School Superintendents, the Association of Independent Schools and Colleges in Alberta, The Association of Alberta Public Charter Schools, individual school authorities and the Alberta School Councils’ Association which compiled input from more than 66,000 parents.
“The Alberta School Councils’ Association is pleased that considerations for the safety of students and staff remain priorities throughout this detailed plan, along with the recognition that school authorities are best suited to making operational decisions directly impacting their local school communities. We look forward to ongoing work and communications with the ministry, as this is key for successful implementation and return to school.”
“Alberta’s teachers are looking forward to supporting our students as we transition into the 2020-21 school year. As our recent survey indicates, teachers are concerned about the health and safety of themselves, their colleagues and their students. We expect to work with government to strengthen and improve the plans for re-entry to ensure that schools can provide healthy and safe environments for teachers and students.”
“Supporting the health and safety of students and staff continues to be a top priority for the ASBA and all school boards. We appreciate government providing clarity, while ensuring flexibility and autonomy, as each of Alberta’s public, Catholic and Francophone boards face challenges within the context of their local communities. As the situation evolves, we will continue to collaborate with government and our members to adjust the plan in preparation for the upcoming school year.”
“The College of Alberta School Superintendents joins the province in its commitment to protecting the health and well-being of all students and staff as we transition to the 2020-21 school year. We appreciate the collaborative manner in which the re-entry plan has developed and are pleased that school divisions have been provided with the flexibility and authority to implement procedures beyond the plan that they deem necessary to ensure the safety of their learning environments.”
“We are deeply appreciative of the ongoing consultation with all educational partners by the Minister of Education and the ministry as a whole in these trying circumstances. Teachers and systems have responded to the pandemic with remarkable energy and ingenuity. The proactive, engaging leadership of our government continues to be essential for education to fulfil its vital role in Alberta through this critical time.”
“Our association appreciates the government’s collaborative approach in developing this re-entry plan. We remain committed to supporting our schools so that their staff and students can experience a safe and positive learning environment in the coming academic year.”
Public health guidance for schools
Return to in-school class learning may vary across the province and is dependent on the number of COVID-19 cases in the local area. School boards should develop their own COVID-19 plans under the applicable scenario and health guidelines prior to reopening.
Measures to reduce the risk – scenario 1 (in-school classes resume – near normal operations with health measures)
Cleaning
- Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting, including daily cleaning for all areas of the school, washrooms and high-touch surfaces cleaned several times a day or more as needed.
- Regularly scheduled deep cleaning when students are not present.
Student/staff hygiene and illness
- Routine screening for all staff and students.
- Strict stay-at-home policy for any students or staff exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.
- Hand hygiene expectations when entering and exiting the school and classrooms, before and after eating.
- Continual reminders of the importance of respiratory etiquette (e.g., cover coughs and sneezes, avoid touching the face and disposal of used tissues promptly, followed by hand hygiene).
- Students who develop symptoms at school may be asked to wear a mask and isolate in a separate room until a parent arrives for pickup. If a separate room is not available, the student must be kept at least two metres away from other individuals.
Physical distancing and grouping
- When possible, practise some physical distancing as a good precaution to prevent the spread of disease.
- In classrooms, buses and during activities when physical distancing may not be possible, extra emphasis is put on other hygiene practices.
- Reorganization of rooms to allow for more physical space.
- Cohorting of students by class where possible.
- Guiding foot traffic flow through entrances and hallways by using markers on the floor or pylons/barriers.
- Avoiding large gatherings such as assemblies.
Masks
- Staff and students will not be mandated to wear masks.
- Masks may be considered in circumstances where there is prolonged close contact (greater than 15 minutes) and distance of two metres cannot be maintained.
- Masking is generally not recommended for younger students.
Shared items
- A no-sharing policy – all students should have their own supplies.
- Where sharing of equipment is required, the equipment should be cleaned between uses.
Cases of COVID-19 in a school
- The zone medical officer of health will work with school authorities on the rapid identification of cases through easily accessible testing, rapid close contact identification, and isolation measures when needed.
- The zone medical officer of health will also work with school authorities to provide follow-up recommendations and messaging for staff, parents and students.
- Alberta Health Services may request the school to close in-person classes to allow the public health investigation to take place.
- Each school authority will support students and staff to learn or work at home if they are required to self-isolate.
Measures to reduce the risk – scenario 2 (in-school classes partially resume with additional health measures)
The same considerations as scenario 1, with the following differences:
- A recommended maximum of 15 people in a classroom to allow for more consistent physical distancing.
- Students will attend school less regularly as school authorities will need to adjust their class schedule and configuration to meet the physical distancing requirement.
Non-COVID-19 operational highlights
- Any summer programming will follow scenario 2 of the re-entry plan and the associated public health measures.
- August diploma exams will proceed for students taking diploma courses this summer.
- For the 2020-21 school year, diploma exams will be held if the first or second scenarios are in place. In scenario 3, exams may be cancelled.
- Provincial achievement tests (PATs) for Grades 6 and 9 can be held in the first and second scenarios, but will be optional for school authorities to participate.
- If scenario 3 is in place at the beginning of the school year, the January PATs will be cancelled. May/June PATs may be cancelled based on the duration of at-home learning.
- School authorities can, as deemed appropriate at the local level, reduce time spent teaching non-core subjects to allow for additional instruction time on core subjects.
- School authorities must enable the full participation and inclusion of students with disabilities under each scenario and address any learning gaps from the 2019-20 school year.
- Mental health supports should be in place for students and staff.
This plan is part Alberta’s Relaunch Strategy to safely begin removing public health restrictions and reopen our economy. For more information, visit alberta.ca/RelaunchStrategy.
Alberta
‘Flared back up’: Alberta town of 8,400 evacuated for second time due to fire

Airtankers work on a wildfire near Edson, Alta., in a Friday, June 9, 2023, handout photo. The town was evacuated Friday night due to an out-of-control wildfire. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Government of Alberta Fire Service
Edson
A town in western Alberta was under an evacuation order late Friday due to an out-of-control wildfire — its second such order this spring.
Local officials issued the evacuation for Edson and parts of Yellowhead County.
“We’re still evacuating the community and evacuating the hospital,” said Edson mayor Kevin Zahara.
“All things considered, so far so good — but the next 72 hours are going to be critical for us. We have a lot of warm temperatures in the forecast and it’s windy here right now.
“It’s going to be dependent on those winds and the weather on how this fire behaves.”
Alberta government officials said the fire burning near the community of about 8,400 jumped fire guards and moved closer to populated areas, including the town. They warned that there could be impacts to roads and highways if the fire crossed the guards and blocks evacuation routes.
“Because that fire is so out of control, some of the forestry crews have had to back off,” said Luc Mercier, chief administrative officer for Yellowhead County, in a video statement on one of the town’s Facebook pages. “They can’t fight that fire.”
Mercier said the fire could threaten Highway 16, the main east-west route in the area.
“We have significant concerns with egress along Highway 16 in the coming days,” he said. “The next 36 hours will be paramount with the winds coming forward.”
An update issued at 11 p.m. said live embers and flames were seen in Willmore Park, meaning the fire had crossed the river. The notice said if people had not left the area yet, “now is the time.” Officials said emergency crews were busy with fire operations and would not be able to respond if people needed help.
The Edson area, about 190 kilometres west of Edmonton, saw four new fire starts on Friday, said Mercier.
An unprecedented start to the wildfire season led Alberta to bring in a provincewide state of emergency on May 6. At one point, about 29,000 people were out of their homes in various communities.
The state of emergency was lifted last week.
On Friday afternoon, before the evacuation order was issued for Edson and the surrounding area, about 3,500 Albertans remained out of their homes.
Evacuation buses were leaving from three points in Yellowhead County and five in Edson. An evacuation centre was being set up in Edmonton’s Expo Centre.
Zahara said there had been little threat in the area as recently as four days ago. Hot weather and high winds put a stop to that.
“This fire has flared back up,” Zahara said.
“It’s really important people adhere to the evacuation order.”
He said no services, including fire and medical, would be available in Edson until further notice.
Edson was evacuated for three days in early May by another wildfire.
Zahara said at the time that he thought there was a good chance the town would be lost to the flames.
That evacuation took a heavy financial toll on townspeople through loss of income and unexpected expenses such as hotel rooms, he said.
— By Bob Weber in Edmonton
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2023.
Alberta
A look at Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s new cabinet

Premier Danielle Smith introduced her cabinet Friday, the second one since taking over as United Conservative Party leader in October. Here are the changes at a glance:
Second in command: Mike Ellis retains his Public Safety and Emergency Services portfolio but is also now deputy premier.
Big promotions: Mickey Amery moves from Children’s Services to Justice; Nate Horner moves from Agriculture and Irrigation to Finance; Adriana LaGrange already had a heavyweight title in Education but now takes on enormous responsibilities in Health.
New faces: RJ Sigurdson joins cabinet for the first time in Agriculture and Irrigation; Searle Turton is new in Children and Family Services; Dan Williams gets his first cabinet seat in Mental Health and Addiction.
Returning vets: Jason Nixon, the environment minister and government house leader under former premier Jason Kenney, is back in cabinet handling the Seniors, Community and Social Services post. Ric McIver, dropped from Smith’s first cabinet, returns in his old job of Municipal Affairs. Muhammad Yaseen, a former associate minister of immigration, now has full cabinet rank as minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism; Tanya Fir, former economic development minster under Kenney, is back in Arts, Culture and Status of Women portfolio.
Same faces, new jobs: Rebecca Schulz (Environment and Protected Areas), Brian Jean (Energy and Minerals), Nathan Neudorf (Affordability and Utilities), Joseph Schow (Tourism and Sport), Demetrios Nicolaides (Education), Rajan Sawhney (Advanced Education), Matt Jones (Jobs, Economy and Trade), Peter Guthrie (Infrastructure).
Same faces, same jobs: Nate Glubish (Technology and Innovation), Dale Nally (Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction), Devin Dreeshen (Transportation and Economic Corridors), Todd Loewen (Forestry and Parks).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2023.
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