Public Funds for Public Schools
Public Interest Alberta joined 18 other organizations in calling on the Government of Alberta to:
1. In Budget 2018, reduce public funding to private schools from 70% to 50% (with the exception of special needs schools).
2. Re-allocate the $30 million in savings to fund a classroom conditions improvement project in select Public, Catholic, and Francophone schools.
This call to reduce public funding to private schools would be the first step towards completely phasing out this funding over a three year period. Please see our previous media release from 2017 for more details.
Participating organizations:
- Public Interest Alberta
- Progress Alberta
- Alberta Teachers’ Association
- Public School Boards Association of Alberta
- Edmonton Public School Board
- Support Our Students (SOS) Alberta
- Calgary and District Labour Council
- Edmonton and District Labour Council
- Edmonton Catholic Teachers
- Edmonton Public Teachers
- Calgary Board of Education Staff Association
- Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Alberta
- CUPE Alberta Education Employees Committee
- CUPE Local 40 (Calgary Board of Education staff)
- CUPE Local 474 (custodial staff for Edmonton Public Schools)
- CUPE Local 1099 (St. Albert Public Schools support staff)
- CUPE Local 3550 (support staff for Edmonton Public Schools)
- CUPE Local 4625 (Sturgeon Public Schools support staff)
- Unifor Local 52A (support staff for Edmonton Catholic Schools)
Public Interest Alberta and partners in the news
Public school proponents push for cut in funding to Alberta private schools by Janet French, Edmonton Journal
Joel French interview on CBC Radio CBC Radio Active with Portia Clark
Une coalition demande à l'Alberta de réduire ses subventions aux écoles privées Radio-Canada/ICI Alberta
ATA joins call to scale back private school funding by Jen Janzen, ATA News
Should Private Schools Get Public Funding? by Joel French and David Staples, Alberta Views magazine
Think-tank calls for increased private school enrolment in Alberta by Janet French, Edmonton Journal
Other resources
Progress Report on LGBTQ Policies of Four Alberta School Boards
Public Interest Alberta and the University of Alberta's Dr. Kristopher Wells have released Progress Report on LGBTQ Policies of Four Alberta School Boards (download the full report).
This work builds on our previous work with Dr. Wells, Making the Grade: An analysis of sexual orientation and gender identity policies in Alberta.
Our organization has been supportive of efforts to ensure that the policies and guidelines of all of Alberta's 61 school boards fully reflect the requirements of recent provincial legislation with regard to sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ), and in particular the changes mandated by Bills 10 and 24. The provincial government originally required school boards to submit their policies in this area by March 31, 2018. These policies must be made publicly available by June 30, 2018.
As an interim measure, Dr. Kristopher Wells was asked by Public Interest Alberta to evaluate the current policies of four school boards, two each from public and Catholic school systems:
- Westwind School Division #74
- Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools
- Edmonton Catholic Separate School District No. 7
- Buffalo Trail Public Schools
The purpose of the project is not to generalize about the policies of the remaining boards on the basis of these four, but rather to analyze in detail the specific policies of these four boards in order to determine the nature and extent to which they currently meet the expectations of the legislation, and the kinds of changes that will be necessary in the near future as a result.
Our ultimate goal is to contribute to a process that will ensure all 61 boards have exemplary policies and guidelines which meet the legal requirements of government and, in turn, actively welcome, support, and affirm LGBTQ students, staff, and families as a full and valued part of the school community.
Public Interest Alberta in the news
School LGBTQ policies out of step with School Act changes, advocacy group says by Janet French, Edmonton Journal
Alberta school boards face steep climb to support LGBTQ students: Report by Kevin Maiman, Metro News
Deadline for LGBTQ school policy approaches by Susan Zielinski, Red Deer Advocate
Public Interest Alberta released a report on how school board policies need to change to support LGBTQ students, staff and families Danielle Smith radio show (News Talk 770)
Some school boards falling behind on protecting sexual minority students by Dave Cournoyer, Daveberta.ca
From Poverty to Progress
POVERTY FACTS
CHILDREN IN CRISIS
Nearly 150,000 children in Alberta – that’s one out of every six kids – currently live in poverty. Poverty is prevalent across the province, but vulnerable groups such as single parents, minimum wage earners, and racialized communities are more susceptible. The result is generation after generation of people who lack access to early education, health care supports, adequate housing, and proper nutrition.
LEARNING AND GROWTH
Poverty can impede children’s ability to learn and contribute to social, emotional, and behavioral problems, which continues into teens and adulthood.
- Children born into poverty are at a greater risk of low birth weight, poor nutrition and subsequent health issues, developmental delays, abuse and neglect, and behavioral and socioemotional problems.
- Many children in poverty arrive at school with developmental and behavioral disadvantages, which adversely effect academic outcomes
- Children in poverty are less likely to graduate high school
- Lack of education, supports, and chronic health conditions can lead to unemployment and adult poverty
THE WORKING POOR
Many children living in poverty have parents who work, but low wages and unstable employment leave their families struggling to make ends meet. Low-income earners face obstacles finding affordable housing, arranging transportation to and from work, buying basic necessities, arranging childcare, having unpredictable work schedules, and juggling two or more jobs.
Risks are greatest for children who experience poverty when they are young and/or experience deep and persistent poverty.
Read more on child poverty here: Keep Investing in Alberta’s Children: The Government’s Role in Ending Child and Family Poverty
PROGRESS
QUALITY CHILD CARE
- Provide greater access to affordable, quality child care spaces to ensure that those wanting to participate in the work force or to increase their earning power through training or education can do so, particularly for women and single parents
- Develop a strategy to support child care centres implementing the province’s new curriculum framework.
- Continuing investments should be made to help support increased access to child care spaces for families with infants, children with special needs, and those living with lower incomes
- Improve hours of accessibility to child care spaces
- Establish child care centres in underutilized schools and require all new schools and other publicly-owned facilities to incorporate additional space for early childhood and after school programs
BETTER SUPPORTS
- All orders of government should adopt living wage policies for contracted services
- Provide additional support for language and employment training for Albertans who need to upgrade their skills and literacy or be re-skilled
- Increase social assistance rates, which are currently the lowest in Canada, and index income support programs like Alberta Works and Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped to inflation
- Increase earnings exemptions and asset limits to make income support programs more fair and effective at lifting Albertans out of poverty
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
- Increase direct to tenant rent subsidies to enhance affordability for low-income families and individuals in the rental market
- Remove the budget cap on rent supplements, which currently leaves eligible Albertans without that support after the budgeted amount has been spent each year
- Ensure affordable housing units are available in all neighbourhoods and municipalities
- Significantly increase asset limits for eligibility to social housing and lengthen the transition time for Albertans moving out of social housing
- Extend the Alberta Adult Health Benefit to low-income working Albertans
- Extend the Alberta Family Employment Tax Credit to all low-income Albertans, including those without children
ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
From Poverty to Progress is a campaign coordinated by Public Interest Alberta to educate the public on the problem of child poverty in Alberta and to mobilize the public to speak out for greater investments in poverty reduction. The number of children living in poverty in Alberta has remained virtually unchanged for 25 years. Helping children and their parents who continue to live in poverty must remain a priority.
From Poverty to Progress is a step towards ending the cycle of child poverty.
The campaign was launched on August 16, 2017 and includes:
- alarming child poverty statistics and their effect on children
- steps to be taken to reduce child poverty
- take action, sign our petition - From Poverty to Progress
The NDP government has made some significant positive steps to alleviate poverty:
- increased funding to Family and Community Support Services
- increased funding for women’s shelters
- increasing minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2018
- created a Status of Women Ministry
- funded 22 Early Learning and Care Centres
- implementing an ambitious Alberta Child Benefit focused on supporting our lowest-income families
- unveiled a new affordable and social housing strategy with significant funding attached
Despite these actions, Alberta’s women and children are still affected the most by income disparity. Children are overrepresented among Alberta’s poor; they represent 22 percent of the population but comprise 30 percent of all people living in poverty. Many families continue to struggle to afford quality, and accessible child care. Women are disproportionately affected by the lack of access to child care because it hinders their ability to fully participate in the economy, while children in poverty do not have access to quality care and early interventions.
Alberta needs a poverty-reduction strategy to prevent, reduce, and ultimately eliminate poverty in Alberta. This strategy should align with the local poverty reduction initiatives that are happening in municipalities across the province in order to effectively meet community needs.
The strategy needs to include good jobs at living wages that ensure full-time work is a way out of poverty; an effective child benefit that is indexed; a system of affordable accessible early learning and child care services available to all families; a program to create more affordable housing and to help maintain existing properties; an affordable and accessible post-secondary education system, and training programs that prepare youth and adults for employment leading to economic independence.
Low-wage Report 2017
2017 Low Wage Report
Public Interest Alberta obtained the following low-wage earner statistics from Statistics Canada's monthly Labour Force Survey. They indicate the average number of employed Albertans in each category for the year ending June 30, 2017. The minimum wage will increase from $12.20 per hour to $13.60 per hour on October 1, 2017.
Nearly one in five employed Albertans are low-wage workers.
- 343,500 of 1,895,000 employed Albertans earn $15 per hour or less (18.1%).
- 395,900 earn $16 per hour or less (20.9%).
- 221,600 earn the new minimum wage of $13.60 per hour or less (11.7%).
- 125,900 earn the minimum wage of $12.20 per hour (6.6%).
The majority of low-wage workers in Alberta are women.
- 206,300 low-wage workers are women (60.1%).
- 73,200 workers earning the minimum wage of $12.20 per hour are women (58.1%).
- 133,700 workers earning the new minimum wage of $13.60 per hour or less are women (60.3%).
More than three-quarters of low-wage workers are 20 years of age or older.
- 263,100 (76.6%) are 20 years of age or older.
- 191,200 (55.7%) are between 20 and 44 years old.
- 71,900 (20.9%) are 45 years of age or older.
Download our printable fact sheet
Read our media release showing what the data means for Albertans working in the province.
Regional fact sheets
- Athabasca - Grande Prairie - Peace River
- Calgary
- Edmonton
- Lethbridge
- Medicine Hat
- Red Deer
- Wood Buffalo - Cold Lake
Previous Low Wage Reports
2017 Municipal Election
Welcome to Public Interest Alberta's progressive guide to Alberta’s municipal elections.
Learn about the issues, engaging your candidates, and informing yourself and your community before heading to the ballot box on October 16!
Together, we can make Alberta’s municipalities more fair, just, and progressive.
Download handout: A Progressive Guide to Alberta’s Municipal Elections
PRIORITIES AND QUESTIONS FOR CANDIDATES
For Municipal and School Board and Municipal Candidates
- Do you oppose contracting private corporations to operate public services (like water services or public transportation and transit at the municipal level and custodial, maintenance, and support services at the school board level)?
- How would you work to protect our environment and support a green economy?
- What would you do to take action on reconciliation with indigenous peoples based recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership?
For Municipal Candidates
- Do you support increasing taxes to, at a minimum, meet the costs of inflation for the municipality’s services?
- How would you increase the quality and affordability of public transit and/or regional transportation?
- Would you support policy to ensure all workers employed by the municipality and its contractors are paid a living wage?
- What other action would you take to eliminate poverty and homelessness?
- What would you do to address racism and gender inequality in the municipality?
- What role do you think our municipal government can play in building a comprehensive, affordable, high quality, universal child care system?
- Do you support a ban on corporate and union contributions?
- What changes would you make to improve citizen engagement, policy making and governance?
For School Board Candidates
- If elected, how will you work to stop any government cuts to education? Will you work to reduce class sizes?
- Do you believe students in any school who want a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) should be entitled to one?
- If a student joins a GSA, do you think their parent should be notified, even without the student’s permission?
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
What will the future look like if we don’t take action?
- privatization of critical public services
- corporate control of our water and other resources
- cuts to services for families and people in crisis
- increased user fees and downloading costs to families
- big money influence on our political process and disempowered citizens
Citizen Forums
Public Interest Alberta in collaboration with the Edmonton and District Labour Council and the Calgary District Labour Council held citizen forums in Calgary and Edmonton to focus on issues and how citizens can advance progressive values.
Edmonton - Monday, September 25, 2017
Panel 1: Poverty, Child Care, and Education
- John Kolkman, Edmonton Social Planning Council
- Heather Quinn, Edmonton Public Teachers
- Suzanne MacLean, Oliver Centre
Panel 2: Democracy and Privatization
- Larry Booi, Public Interest Alberta
- Mike Scott, CUPE Local 30
Panel 3: Environment and Racism
- Lorelei Hanson, Athabasca University
- Bashir Mohamed, Black Lives Matter Edmonton
Thank you to the following candidates/campaigns who attended our Municipal Election Forum in Edmonton on September 25th: Kris Andreychuk, Glen Argan, Neda Asadi, Jeff Behrens, Rob Bernshaw, Nafisa Bowen, Brandy Burdeniuk, Shelagh Dunn, Trisha Estabrooks, Sam Filice, Kirsten Goa, Ben Henderson, Mark Hope, Nathan Ip Michael Janz, Miranda Jimmy, Joseph Luri, Dawn Newton, Mike Nickel, Mike Russnak, Bridget Stirling, Keren Tang, Sara Wagner, Tamie Ward and Mimi Williams
Calgary - Sunday, October 1, 2017
Panel 1: Poverty, Child Care, and Education
- Franco Savoia, Vibrant Communities Calgary
- Nevena Ivanovic, Women’s Centre of Calgary
- Barbara Silva, Support Our Students Alberta
2: Public Services, Privatization, and Democracy
- Alex Shevalier, Calgary and District Labour Council
- Joel French, Public Interest Alberta
3: Racism and Reconciliation
- Chantal Chagnon, Cree8
- Iman Bukhari, Canadian Cultural Mosaic Foundation
Thank you to the following candidates/campaigns who attended our Municipal Election Forum in Calgary on Oct 1: Brent Alexander, Blair Berdusco, Christopher Blatch, Coral Bliss Taylor, Patricia Bolger, Gian-Carlo Carra, Gord Cummings, Rekha Dhawan, Karen Lynn Draper, Janet Eremenko, Srinivas Ganti, Faith Greaves, Richard Hehr, Salimah Kassam, Greg Miller, Sara Peden, Michelle Robinson, Jennifer Seamone, Merle Terlesky, Tory Tomblin, and Steve Turner
Keep Drainage Public
UPDATE:
After only one public hearing to discuss Epcor's proposal to acquire $3.1 billion dollars worth of publicly owned drainage assets, City council voted 7-6 on April 12 to transfer all drainage assets to Epcor. Thus, putting billions of dollars of public infrastructure under the control of a private company. While EPCOR is completely owned by the City of Edmonton, it operates as a private company and is not bound to the same standards of transparency and public accountability as a utility controlled by the City.
We urge you to remember this important decision city council made before breaking for an election in the fall.
Mayor Iveson was supported in voting for the transfer by Councillors Michael Oshry, Andrew Knack, Scott McKeen, Michael Walters, Bryan Anderson and Ed Gibbons.
Voting against were Loken, Moe Banga, Ben Henderson, Tony Caterina, Mike Nickel and Bev Esslinger.
Public Interest Alberta -- along with Progress Alberta, the Edmonton & District Labour Council and Coalition of Edmonton Civic Unions -- opposed the transfer and despite the deal being approved, there were some positive changes made to the final motion. For instance, while EPCOR is not subject to Freedom of Information Legislation (FOIP), City Council stipulated that the final agreement include a FOIP-like process which will provide a way to access information about this essential utility (including an appeal process to resolve disputes about what should and should not be accessible).
Another concern was related to the potential for EPCOR to sell the drainage asset behind closed doors, much like EPCOR's power-generation assets were spun off into Capital Power in 2009. While this concern still exists, some assurances are included to ensure that, in the event EPCOR proposes a sale, the City must hold a public hearing.
While we fell short of our ultimate goal (drainage remaining within the City of Edmonton's organization), some important details to help address the concerns around transparency and accountability were added to the final motion, thanks in part to the lobby efforts of the concerned groups listed above and the engagement of many Edmonton citizens.
OUR CAMPAIGN
Edmonton City Council is considering selling $3.1 billion worth of drainage assets to EPCOR for just $1.00. We are urging City Council to keep drainage public. Why? Read Progress Alberta's Five big reasons to keep Edmonton's drainage public.
A recent poll released by the Edmonton and District Labour Council shows that Edmontonians are generally opposed to the privatization of essential city infrastructure and showed a lack of community awareness and consultation around the sale. Recent independent analysis of the sale shows that the public interest is not served by selling public City assets to EPCOR. View the full report online.
Read our media release. Listen to Public Interest Alberta Executive Director, Joel French, discuss drainage issues on the Ryan Jespersen Show, January 25, 2017.
Get Involved
Contact your city councillor and let them know that you want to keep Edmonton's drainage assets public.
The sale must be stopped to ensure the best interests of Edmontonians are protected. If EPCOR takes control of Edmonton’s drainage assets:
- Edmontonians will lose transparency and accountability as decisions are moved from the City Council chambers to behind closed corporate doors.
- The focus of those running our drainage services will be more focused on cutting costs and making profits than on providing a high quality service.
- There is a future risk that EPCOR could sell Edmonton’s drainage assets to a fully-private corporation.
Need to find your city councillor? Use the City of Edmonton's Ward Boundary and Neighbourhood Map.
Public Interest Alberta in the news
EPCOR and the drainage system Ryan Jespersen Show
For more information
Stakeholders voice concern over EPCOR's proposed takeover of Edmonton drainage utility by Jennifer Ivanov, Global News
EPCOR drainage proposal doesn't hold water, report says by Nola Keeler, CBC Edmonton
Epcor takeover of Edmonton drainage would include transparency clause, city report says by Gordon Kent, Edmonton Journal
Rejecting Epcor's drainage bid: Privatizing a public resource doesn't benefit the city by Ricardo Acuna, Vue Weekly
Drainage debate: Edmonton city council divided over who should control drainage system by Paula Simons, Edmonton Journal
Public to have say on Epcor taking over drainage by Nola Keeler, CBC News
Five big reasons to keep Edmonton's drainage public by Duncan Kinney, Progress Alberta
City of Edmonton documents related to the proposal can be found here and here
Submission to Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission – January 2017
Public Interest Alberta Executive Director Joel French recently joined Public Interest Alberta's Democracy Task Force Chair Larry Booi and Democracy Task Force member Dr. Don Carmichael to present to the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission at their public hearing in Edmonton. You can read our press release for more information on our presentation to the Commission. We encourage you to attend a hearing in your area.
Public Interest Alberta's Democracy Task Force has also put together a written submission to the Electoral Boundaries Commission. The Task Force is encouraging Public Interest Alberta members and the general public to make a submission online as well. The deadline for submissions is February 8, 2017.What you can do
We encourage you to make your own submission until February 8, 2017. Simply visit the submissions portion of the Commission's website, and fill out the form. Your submission doesn't have to be long or detailed; what is most important is that you participate. We invite you to read over our submission to get a sense of what we are calling for. In short, our two main points are that the Commission should:
1. Limit the variance in the constituency population size to 5%.
The current legislation allows variances of 25%, but that was meant to serve as an outside limit, in very different times.
Clearly, the goal should be to have constituencies of equal population size, but due to the desire to take into account some local circumstances (for example, existing community and municipal boundaries) some modest degree of latitude is necessary. The proposed five per cent variance would actually amount to ten per cent, since it would allow five per cent above and below the average.
In addition, the Commission should not make use of their power to create any of the four “special exceptions” constituencies of even wider variance as allowed under the legislation, since the particular circumstances of these areas can be better addressed through other means, such as by providing more assistance and support to MLAs.
2. Call on the Legislative Assembly to increase support to MLAs to assist them in effectively representing their constituents and addressing their varying needs.
While acting on a commitment to political equality and representation by population, the Electoral Boundaries Commission should point out that they are no longer using population variance to address the challenges of representation. In doing so, the Commission should call on appropriate bodies to ensure that all MLAs have the necessary staff and technical support to address those their representational challenges.
Such additional support is not only justifiable, but long overdue. It will mean that the Legislative Assembly must revise and enhance the formula for providing support, with the goal of allowing all MLAs to more effectively represent their constituents and their unique circumstances in rural, urban, and suburban constituencies throughout the province.
The increased costs are an investment in strengthening democracy in our province and a necessary complement to the move to more political equality and representation by population.
Public Interest Alberta in the news
Opinion: Unfair riding sizes are relics from a bygone era by Larry Booi
Voter equality vital for electoral boundary review commission says interest group by Tyler Marr, Lloydminster Meridian Booster
Electoral boundaries hearing in Red Deer on Friday delayed one hour by Mary-Ann Barr, Red Deer Advocate
For more information
All votes for MLA deserve an equal weight by Michael Janz, Chair of the Edmonton Public School Board
Time for ridings to better reflect Alberta by the Edmonton Journal Editorial Board
Suburban voters must get the political power they deserve by David Staples, Edmonton Journal
2016 Child Care Survey
On Friday, December 2, 2016, Public Interest Alberta, in partnership with the Terra Centre for Teen Parents and Early Childhood Development Support Services, released the results of a province-wide survey of child care operators. The responses highlight concerns related to accessibility, affordability, and quality of early learning and child care in Alberta.
Low wage report 2016
Public Interest Alberta has released 2016 data on low-wage earners in Alberta from Statistics Canada. Read our media release showing what the data means for Albertans working in the province.
Alberta-wide statistics
Nearly one in five employed Albertans are low-wage workers.
- 354,700 of 1,906,700 employed Albertans earn $15 per hour or less (18.6%)
- 403,400 earn $16 per hour or less (21.2%)
- 158,600 earn the new minimum wage ($12.20 per hour) or less (8.3%)
The majority of low-wage workers in Alberta are women.
- 213,500 low-wage workers are women (60.2%).
- 100,200 workers earning the new minimum wage ($12.20 per hour) or less are women (63.2%).
More than three-quarters of low-wage workers are 20 years of age or older.
- 273,500 (77.1%) are 20 years of age or older.
- 77,900 (22.0%) are between 20 and 24 years old.
- 115,800 (32.6%) are between 25 and 44 years old.
- 79,800 (22.5%) are 45 years of age or older.
Download our printable fact sheet
Regional fact sheets
Public Lands for the Public Interest
Photo credit: Jeff Wallace (detail) (CC)
Edmonton City Council is in the process of selling two pieces of land currently marked as surplus school sites to private schools. Public lands should be used for public not private interests. Read the press release. On October 31, a coalition of organizations led by Public Interest Alberta and the Edmonton and District Labour Council laid out three calls to action:
- Edmonton City Council must overturn this re-zoning motion.
- Edmontonians should contact their City Councillors, and all organizations represented will be encouraging their members to do so.
- The provincial government and municipalities across the province must put in place rules to ensure surplus sites like these cannot be sold to private schools in the future.
What you can do:
- Read the City of Edmonton Policy which calls for surplus school sites to be designate for residential uses, adopted by City Council July 7, 2015.
- Write to your city councillor. Let them know you want public lands to be kept for the public interest.
- Find your Edmonton City Councillor.
- Write to them using this online form.
- Share your message to your City Councillor on social media. Tell your friends!
Here's a sample template for contacting your Councillor:
Dear Councillor ____________,
I am concerned about the recent news that Edmonton City Council is planning to sell surplus school lands in Kiniski Gardens and Evansdale to private schools. It is particularly concerning because these sites were made surplus after school boards determined those communities wouldn't need any additional schools in the long term. So, the new private schools could put our public schools at risk if they are successful at attracting more students from those communities (which they say is part of the reason they want to move to those sites).
Public lands should be used in the public interest. Please do the right thing and work to stop that process, and let's use public lands for something that builds community instead of dividing people.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
The coalition of organizations includes:
- Public Interest Alberta
- Edmonton District Labour Council
- CUPE 784, representing maintenance and construction staff in Edmonton Public Schools
- CUPE 474, representing custodial staff in Edmonton Public Schools
- CUPE 3550, representing support staff in Edmonton Public Schools
- Unifor Local 52A, representing support staff in Edmonton Catholic Schools
For more information:
City hall approves sale of two sites for Punjabi, Muslim schools - Edmonton Journal, September 13, 2016
City's plan to sell surplus lands for private schools upsets public school board - Edmonton Journal, October 3, 2016
