At a Glance - Week of August 29, 2025
Pierre Poilievre Wins Alberta By-election
Federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre won the August 18th by-election held in Battle River-Crowfoot with just over 80 per cent of the vote. He will return to Parliament in the fall and resume his role as Leader of the Official Opposition. The by-election was triggered after incumbent Conservative MP Damien Kurek resigned his seat, paving the way for Poilievre’s return to the House of Commons. A record of 214 candidates ran in the riding – most of them organized by the Longest Ballot Committee, an organization that advocates for electoral reform.
Poilievre expressed gratitude to voters in the riding on election night: “Getting to know the people in this region has been the privilege of my life.” Prime Minister Mark Carney congratulated Poilievre, stating: “Working together, Canada’s new government will keep building a stronger future for all Albertans and Canadians.”
New Investments for First Nations Student Mental Health
Alberta is allocating up to $4.6 million for the 2025-26 school year to provide specialized learning and mental health support for students in on-reserve schools. Funding has been awarded to 27 First Nations across the province, supporting services like occupational therapy, family-school liaisons, wellness coaches and counsellors. Additionally, as part of Budget 2025, nearly $94 million is being allocated to public school boards to support First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students.
“This funding ensures that resources are going where they’re needed most – into the hands of communities who know their students best. By supporting specialized learning and mental health initiatives, we’re helping First Nations students thrive in school and beyond. These grants reflect our commitment to building brighter futures for Indigenous youth across Alberta,” stated Minister of Indigenous Relations, Rajan Sawhney.
Continued Support for Child Advocacy Centers
The province is boosting funding by 10 per cent to its child and youth advocacy centres, representing an increase to $3.7 million in 2025. There are eight provincially funded advocacy centres across the province, offering integrated services spanning mental health, medical, and legal support for children and youth experiencing abuse and neglect.
Minister of Children and Family Services, Searle Turton, commented: “Alberta has been a leader in creating safe places for children and youth who have experienced abuse. Centres like Zebra Centre and Luna Centre were among the first of their kind in Canada, and they continue to give hope and healing to thousands of children, youth and their families. This new funding will help them, and six other centres across Alberta, keep providing the critical support to protect children and youth.”
Growing Alberta’s Skilled Childcare Workforce
Alberta, in partnership with the federal government, is investing $3.3 million through the Canada-Alberta Early Learning and Child Care Agreement to launch a new Early Childhood Educator Bursary Program. Managed by Northquest College, the program will offer up to 300 one-time bursaries of $10,000 each over the next three years to eligible students enrolled in approved early learning and childcare certificate programs across 20 post-secondar institutions. Since 2021, Alberta has increased its number of early childhood educators by more than 13,000, reaching a total of 31,200.
Minister of Education and Childcare, Demetrios Nicolaides, commented: “Alberta families deserve high-quality child care and we know quality care begins with a skilled workforce. As part of our ongoing commitment to grow the child-care workforce and retain the highly skilled staff we already have, we are making it easier than ever to pursue a rewarding career in this dynamic sector.”