On Friday, March 13, 2026, the Government of Alberta released information about upcoming changes to professional development (PD) and release time funding for early childhood educators under a new program called the Early Childhood Educator Workforce Supports Program, which will take effect on April 1, 2026.
The ministry has shared several documents outlining the changes, including:
- a fact sheet explaining the updated program and funding allocations
- a frequently asked questions document
- a draft list of approved workshops and conferences eligible for PD and release time funding for the 2026/27 fiscal year
The updated program focuses professional development and release time funding on training that strengthens pedagogical practice aligned with Flight: Alberta’s Early Learning and Care Framework, supports educators in advancing certification levels, and builds leadership capacity across the sector.
The government has indicated that the overall funding available per educator remains the same, with up to $4,387.50 per educator per fiscal year available across professional development and release time funding. Wage top-ups and the associated employer contribution funding are not changing as part of these updates.
Several changes have been introduced to eligibility, approval criteria, and how funding requests are submitted, including:
- a new requirement that educators must have 720 hours of eligible work in licensed child care in Alberta within the past two years to access funding
- release time funding for employers is being discontinued
- workshops and conferences needing to appear on an approved list to be eligible for funding
- new timelines requiring funding requests to be submitted after training is completed, with proof of payment and completion.
The approved list of workshops and conferences released on Friday will apply from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, and no additional offerings will be added during that period. Only workshops and conferences included on this list will be eligible for professional development and release time funding during the 2026/27 fiscal year.