Some children in Alberta are being denied access to education. They are blocked from registering in school because of their parents’ precarious immigration status.
This is a grassroots campaign led by the community and supported by AWARE.
Contact the Education4All campaign directly for more information: ed4all.alberta@gmail.com
Why is this happening?
The Alberta Education Act includes immigration-specific restrictions for who is considered a resident student, and school boards have begun denying registration for children on this basis.
However, immigration status in Canada is complex, with multiple pathways to permanent residency. There are many reasons why individuals and families may fall into a more precarious immigration status, including bureaucratic delays and rule changes, health issues, and experiences of exploitation and abuse.
Education is a human right
The right to education as a fundamental human right is affirmed in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 26). Further, Article 28 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes “the right of the child to education” and directs signatories (including Canada) to “make primary education compulsory and available free to all.”
The threat of removal from schools compounds the stress families and children face as they are already struggling to navigate life in Canada. When children are out of school, it has adverse effects on their mental health in the present and future, which affects all of society. Of course, students’ academic progress also suffers, putting them at a significant disadvantage if and when they are able to return to school.
Full access to education doesn’t end at being allowed to register. While in school, children should receive appropriate support, accommodations, and protections from discrimination. Unfortunately, in Alberta we have seen discriminatory attacks from the provincial government on students with disabilities and on gender diverse students. In a recent injunction related to the Minister of Education’s decision to exclude students with disabilities from in-person learning, a Court of King’s Bench judge affirmed that the provision of education is “a fundamental service owed to all young people.”
Sign the petition
Add your name to a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta to change the Education Act to not only remove discriminatory language but also to affirm equal access to education for all, regardless of immigration status.
Petitions to the provincial government must be signed in person. Contact the Ed4All campaign to arrange to sign.
Change the Alberta Education Act
The Education Act must be changed to remove discriminatory restrictions and ensure access to education for all children living in Alberta.
The Alberta Education Act defines “resident” as limited only to those “lawfully entitled to be or remain in Canada.” This must change. A child’s immigration status has nothing to do with their fundamental human right to access education.
Alberta should follow the example set in Ontario, where the education act positively affirms that children shall not be refused admission or funding due to immigration status.
This legislative change must also be supported by revised regulations and policies, including in the funding manual, to remove discriminatory requirements that put school staff in the position of verifying immigration documents. This recognition that school officials are not immigration experts would align with the current provincial government’s priority to cut “red tape.”
School Boards Can and Should Act
School boards are already empowered to accept enrollment from all children.
The Alberta Education Act gives school boards the authority to accept enrollment from “non-residents” and to determine the amount to charge for tuition fees. However, erecting financial barriers is not a solution.
School boards can and should find ways to accommodate all children. In British Columbia and Ontario there is precedent for working with school boards to allow admission to children who have a transitional immigration status.
Sanctuary school or safe zone policies are a necessary step further, as these policies ensure the safety of all kids while they are at school. There is significant precedent and a thriving sanctuary schools movement in the United States; in Canada at least three jurisdictions have adopted sanctuary school policies (New Westminster, Greater Victoria, Sooke). Such policies would ideally be accompanied by training to help school staff provide meaningful support for all students.
Join us in advocating for EPSB to act
As one of the largest school boards in the province, the Edmonton Public School Board has a responsibility to take action. We have been advocating for action at public meetings of the school board. See the powerful statements past speakers have made:
February 11, 2025 — This meeting also featured folks speaking out about kids with disabilities being denied access to inclusive education as well as folks speaking in solidarity with striking CUPE members; we stand firmly in solidarity with all these speakers. Education is a human right and education workers should be respected!
We will continue to advocate for action, and we need your help. Contact the Ed4All campaign for information about speaking at a future board meeting.
Resources
Alberta
Education for All campaign in the news (CBC): Advocates sound alarm over children without status being denied education in Alberta
Ontario
In Ontario, the Education Act explicitly provides for children with precarious immigration status: “49.1 A person who is otherwise entitled to be admitted to a school and who is less than eighteen years of age shall not be refused admission because the person or the person’s parent or guardian is unlawfully in Canada.” Further guidance is provided in Policy/Program Memorandum 136.
British Columbia
In BC, the School Act provides access to any child who is “ordinarily resident” in the province. However, children continue to be blocked from accessing schools.
The School for All - BC campaign focuses on supporting families attempting to register for school and advocating for sanctuary school policies.
In 2017, New Westminster Schools was the first BC school district to adopt a Sanctuary Schools policy": https://newwestschools.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Policy-21-New-Westminster-Sanctuary-Schools-Website-170530.pdf
Sanctuary Schools Policy Review 2021/22, New Westminster Schools https://schoolforallbc.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/sanctuaryschoolsreport2022.pdf
Briefing Note, Sanctuary Schools Oct 12 2021 https://sanctuarycityvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Sanctuary-Schools-Brief.pdf
Sanctuary City Vancouver offers additional resources on sanctuary policies within education, health care, and municipal government.
International
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Articles 2.2 and 28 https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/crc.aspx
UNESCO, 2019. Global Education Monitoring Report 2019 Migration, Displacement & Education: Building Bridges, Not Walls https://en.unesco.org/gem-report/report/2019/migration
ImmigrantsRising.org, Understanding the Sanctuary School & Safe Zone Movement. https://immigrantsrising.org/resource/understanding-the-sanctuary-school-and-safe-zone-movement/