The Alberta government tabled two bills in the legislature on Thursday that would require child intervention workers to place children with relatives first, expand legal protections against the online sexual exploitation of minors, tighten licensing of daycare operators and require school boards to tell parents how professional development days are spent.

Bill 36, the Supporting Alberta Families Statutes Amendment Act, 2026, comes from the Ministry of Children and Family Services. Bill 35, the Education and Childcare (Securing Parental Involvement) Statutes Amendment Act, 2026, comes from the Ministry of Education and Childcare, according to the Government of Alberta.

Family first for children in care

"Every child deserves to grow up feeling safe, supported and connected to the people who care about them," Children and Family Services Minister Searle Turton said in a statement. "When children need intervention services, keeping them close to family and community wherever possible can make a lasting difference."

If passed, Bill 36 would amend four provincial statutes: the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act, the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act, the Protection Against Family Violence Act and the Education Act.

Under the changes to the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act, children who need intervention would be placed first with close relatives or trusted family friends before unrelated foster homes are considered. Foster and kinship caregivers would be included in care planning, and eligible caregivers would receive court notifications and the right to take part in proceedings.

The bill would also put openness agreements into law, allowing adopted children to keep connections with birth families, former caregivers and Indigenous communities, and would make it easier for adult and mature minor adoptees to get their own records. The province said clearer legal rules would cut the number of court appearances needed to reach a permanent placement.

The act must be reviewed every five years. The government said the proposed amendments are drawn from recommendations of a review committee that included representatives of Indigenous communities, guardians, caregivers, service providers and MLAs from each caucus.

Turton wrote on X on Thursday that "kids belong with family whenever possible and they shouldn't have to wait years in the system to find a permanent home." Premier Danielle Smith posted that the changes would reduce unnecessary court delays so children find permanent homes sooner.

Online exploitation added to the law

Bill 36 would also update the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act so the definition of child sexual exploitation covers online harms, including grooming, cyber luring, trafficking and digital harassment. The government said the change would let practitioners step in earlier when a child is being targeted and would support police.

"The Ministry of Children and Family Services' updated definition explicitly recognizes the ways children and youth can be targeted online," Dr. Wanda Polzin Holman, CEO of Little Warriors, said in the government's release.

Changes to the Protection Against Family Violence Act would remove duplication left after the Family Violence Death Review Committee was dissolved on Dec. 31, 2025, with the province saying those resources are being redirected to front-line supports for victims. The Education Act would be updated so foster and kinship caregivers are recognized consistently.

Tougher daycare licensing

Bill 35 would amend the Early Learning and Child Care Act and the Education Act.

On the child-care side, the province could weigh an applicant's experience, financial capacity and compliance history with other regulators before issuing or renewing a licence. Licensed providers would have to tell all families about significant compliance issues, enforcement actions and any ministry-approved safety plan put in place after a critical incident, including incidents involving police, a missing or deceased child, or allegations of abuse or neglect. If a provider could not or would not notify families, the province could do it instead. Virtual inspections would be allowed in limited cases where an in-person visit is not immediately possible, the government said.

"Parents deserve confidence that their children are safe and well cared for," Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said in a statement. "These changes would strengthen oversight of licensed child care, give government better tools to identify and address concerns, and ensure families receive clear, timely information when serious issues arise."

Alberta's licensed child-care system serves more than 145,000 children and has added more than 67,000 spaces since 2021, according to the province.

More say for parents in schools

For schools, Bill 35 would let the education minister set provincial standards for report cards, while school boards would still decide format and delivery. School authorities would have to publicly report how each professional development or other non-instructional day was used within 60 calendar days, and would need a process for parent concerns that aren't resolved at the school level. Public school boards would also need the minister's approval before starting to name or rename a school building they own, according to a second government release.

Smith wrote on X that the changes would make it easier for parents to stay informed, raise concerns and play an active role in their children's education.

Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Justin Wright shared Smith's post on Facebook, saying the changes would support greater parental involvement in Alberta schools.

What happens next

If passed, the child-care changes in Bill 35 would take effect March 1, 2027, and the education changes would be in place for the 2027-28 school year. Bill 36 would take effect on proclamation.

The government held news conferences on both bills Thursday afternoon. The child intervention announcement is available on YouTube.

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