Ontario teacher & education-worker bargaining · 2026

Ontario teacher strike 2026 : where talks stand

No strike date announced. Each union’s scheduled strike votes and Labour Board steps, with dated sources.

Coverage

Selected organizations

Last updated

November 3, 2026

Next review

2026-11-04

Is there an Ontario teacher strike in 2026?

No strike date announced as of November 3, 2026. ETFO, OSSTF/FEESO, OECTA, AEFO and CUPE-OSBCU each set their own voting dates, and a vote is not a strike. The Labour Board is hearing the dispute over which issues are bargained centrally, according to OSBCU. The central agreements expired August 31, 2026.

Ontario bargaining records · Verified 2026-11-03

About This Article

Last updated: November 3, 2026

Written by Spencer Carroll

Founder & Autism Advocate

Parent of autistic child in the OAP system

What families need to know right now

Short answers, as of November 3, 2026.

Is my child’s school open?

No strike has been called. Status: No strike date announced; five member strike votes scheduled (reviewed November 3, 2026). A strike vote is not a strike, and the sources we reviewed report no job action that would change the school day.

What has to happen before a legal strike?

ETFO’s strike-vote FAQ lists the steps in order: strike mandate vote, conciliation, a no-board report, the 17th day after that report, then five days’ notice. The sources we reviewed through November 3, 2026 report no conciliation request or no-board report.

How much notice would families get?

ETFO’s FAQ lists five days’ notice as the last step, after the steps above. Watch your school board’s website and messages for any notice to families.

Would EAs and IEP supports continue?

Nothing changes while talks are at the table or before the Labour Board. If job action began, what changes depends on which union acts and which duties it withdraws. CUPE-OSBCU represents education assistants, early childhood educators, custodial, clerical, library, IT and trades staff. The Ontario Human Rights Commission says responsibility for equal treatment of students with disabilities during strikes rests with government, unions and school boards, among others, and recommends contingency planning for these students (OHRC fact sheet, read October 13, 2026). Ask your school for a written continuity plan, or read what the law requires if there is job action.

What about child care and buses?

In the sources we reviewed through November 3, 2026, we did not find a public plan from the ministry or a school board for child care or transportation during job action. Ask your board and your child care provider what they would do.

Are private schools affected?

Central bargaining in this round runs under Ontario’s School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, which covers school boards. Private and independent schools are not school boards, so these votes are not about their staff. Check with your school directly.

Latest checked update

Reviewed 2026-11-03 · Next review November 4, 2026

OLRB scope hearings for education workers finish, according to OSBCU

2026-10-28

OSBCU Update #12 reports that the education-worker unions finished their Labour Board hearings on October 28 after the Ministry and the Council of Employers’ Associations responded. It says the OLRB has proposed mediation, to be held in person on November 2, and that decisions are expected within one to two weeks after the final hearing dates. This is a union report; no OLRB decision has been published and a hearing is not a strike or a strike vote.

What this means for your child’s school supports

These guides cover the supports your child may rely on at school. They do not predict a strike or say what any union or the province will do.

Strike vote dates for ETFO, OSSTF, OECTA, AEFO and CUPE-OSBCU

Each of the five unions has scheduled its own member strike vote. These are the voting windows each union or the press has reported. A scheduled vote is not a result and not a strike date.

Scheduled member strike votes, in order of start date. Reviewed 2026-11-03.
UnionMembers and roleStrike vote windowStatutory preconditions before any walkoutImpact on IEPs, EAs and autistic students

CUPE-OSBCU

Education assistants, early childhood educators, custodial, clerical, library, IT and trades staff

57,000 members

November 4–18, 2026

Per CUPE-OSBCU

Strike mandate vote, conciliation, a no-board report, the 17th day after that report, then five days’ notice.

Education assistants are among the staff this union represents. Nothing changes at school before a legal strike position. If job action began, the effect would depend on which duties were withdrawn. The OHRC says contingency plans for students with disabilities are a shared duty of government, boards and unions.

OSSTF/FEESO

Secondary school teachers and a wide range of education support staff

November 6–16, 2026

Per OSSTF/FEESO, in its September 25 release

Strike mandate vote, conciliation, a no-board report, the 17th day after that report, then five days’ notice.

Nothing changes at school before a legal strike position. If job action began, the effect would depend on which duties were withdrawn. The OHRC says contingency plans for students with disabilities are a shared duty of government, boards and unions.

ETFO

Elementary public school teachers, occasional teachers, and education workers

84,000 members

November 9–18, 2026

Per ETFO, in its central strike-vote FAQ

Strike mandate vote, conciliation, a no-board report, the 17th day after that report, then five days’ notice.

Nothing changes at school before a legal strike position. If job action began, the effect would depend on which duties were withdrawn. The OHRC says contingency plans for students with disabilities are a shared duty of government, boards and unions.

OECTA

English Catholic school teachers

November 12–13, 2026

Per OECTA, as reported by The Canadian Press

Strike mandate vote, conciliation, a no-board report, the 17th day after that report, then five days’ notice.

Nothing changes at school before a legal strike position. If job action began, the effect would depend on which duties were withdrawn. The OHRC says contingency plans for students with disabilities are a shared duty of government, boards and unions.

AEFO

French-language teachers in public and Catholic boards

November 16–17, 2026

Per AEFO, in its September 23 release

Strike mandate vote, conciliation, a no-board report, the 17th day after that report, then five days’ notice.

Nothing changes at school before a legal strike position. If job action began, the effect would depend on which duties were withdrawn. The OHRC says contingency plans for students with disabilities are a shared duty of government, boards and unions.

Steps before a walkout are the sequence in ETFO’s strike-vote FAQ and are not a legal opinion. School impact follows the OHRC fact sheet (read October 13, 2026). A union can only be in a legal strike position after further steps, which are explained under what each stage means. We state a voting format only when that union’s own source does. No vote result has been announced as of November 3, 2026.

Strike status by union: ETFO, OSSTF, OECTA, AEFO, CUPE-OSBCU

This is the 2026 round of central bargaining. The previous central agreements expired August 31, 2026. Each union bargains at its own central table. They can move at different speeds, and one reaching a legal strike position does not carry the others with it.

Central bargaining status by union. Each row links to its cited records; reviewed 2026-11-03.
Union and membersCurrent stageSource documents

ETFO

Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario

Elementary public school teachers, occasional teachers, and education workers

President
David Mastin
Members at this table
84,000

Current stage

Scope dispute at the Labour Board

Read the ETFO notes

10 source documents

OSSTF/FEESO

Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation

Secondary school teachers and a wide range of education support staff

President
Martha Hradowy
Members at this table
Not separately published

Current stage

Scope dispute at the Labour Board

Read the OSSTF/FEESO notes

9 source documents

OECTA

Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association

English Catholic school teachers

President
René Jansen in de Wal
Members at this table
Not separately published

Current stage

At the central table

Read the OECTA notes

6 source documents

AEFO

Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens

French-language teachers in public and Catholic boards

President
Gabrielle Lemieux
Members at this table
Not separately published

Current stage

Scope dispute at the Labour Board

Read the AEFO notes

6 source documents

CUPE-OSBCU

Ontario School Board Council of Unions (CUPE)

Education assistants, early childhood educators, custodial, clerical, library, IT and trades staff

President
Joe Tigani
Members at this table
57,000

Current stage

Scope dispute at the Labour Board

Read the CUPE-OSBCU notes

11 source documents

Most unions do not separately publish their membership at this table; together they report more than 255,000. We show no estimate where a union has not published its own figure.

ETFO: strike vote and negotiations in 2026

Stage: Scope dispute at the Labour Board

Served notice to bargain June 3, 2026. Named reports describe talks as stalled over which issues belong at the central table and which at local tables, a question before the Ontario Labour Relations Board. ETFO’s own central strike-vote FAQ confirms an online vote for its 84,000 members from November 9-18, 2026, run as two processes (teachers and occasional teachers; education-worker members). It lists the steps still required before a legal strike position: conciliation, a no-board report, 17 days, then five days’ notice. This is a scheduled member vote, not a completed result or a strike call; no ETFO strike call was found in the public sources reviewed through October 4.

Reviewed 2026-11-03 · ETFO website

OSSTF/FEESO: strike vote and negotiations in 2026

Stage: Scope dispute at the Labour Board

Served notice to bargain June 3, 2026. Talks remain stalled over the central-versus-local scope question before the Ontario Labour Relations Board. OSSTF/FEESO’s September 25 release confirms a province-wide strike vote for school board sector members from November 6-16, 2026, and states: “There is currently no strike date and no job action planned.” This is a scheduled member vote, not a completed result or a strike call.

Reviewed 2026-11-03 · OSSTF/FEESO website

OECTA: strike vote and bargaining in 2026

Stage: At the central table

The Canadian Press reported on September 14 that OECTA scheduled a November 12–13 strike vote. This is a member-vote window, not a strike date or completed result; the underlying member communication was not independently retrieved. The Labour Board scope process is a separate track, and a vote alone does not establish that statutory preconditions for job action are met.

Reviewed 2026-11-03 · OECTA website

AEFO (French-language teachers): bargaining pause and strike vote

Stage: Scope dispute at the Labour Board

Served notice to bargain June 3, 2026. AEFO’s own bargaining page reports that teacher negotiations are temporarily paused while the Ontario Labour Relations Board decides which subjects belong at the central and local tables, and that current working conditions remain in place until a new agreement is signed. AEFO’s September 23 release confirms that its regular and occasional teaching staff will vote on a strike mandate on November 16-17, 2026, while negotiations remain suspended over scope. This is a scheduled member vote, not a completed result or a strike call.

Reviewed 2026-11-03 · AEFO website

CUPE-OSBCU: education workers and the Labour Board scope hearing

Stage: Scope dispute at the Labour Board

OSBCU reports that its September 17 case-management meeting set scope-hearing dates for October 6, 21, 27 and 28. The first hearing took place October 6, where legal teams for CUPE-OSBCU and the other education unions presented on four shared issues: contracting out, local union leave, short-term unpaid leaves, and transfer/surplus/redundancy timelines. Update #11 confirms the second hearing took place October 21: the unions completed their submissions and the Ministry and employer representatives began responding. OSBCU expects hearings through October 28 and hopes for a decision in early November; no ruling is established by that update. It also reports local leaders voted to hold an electronic strike vote for its 57,000 education workers from November 4–18. That is a scheduled member vote, not a completed vote or a strike call. Dates and expectations are attributed to OSBCU.

This page does not say which union represents your child’s educational assistant. Ask your board or the assistant’s union. For how educational assistant support works, read the EA support guide.

Reviewed 2026-11-03 · CUPE-OSBCU website

Key dates to watch

Contract expiry, Labour Board hearings, rallies and strike vote windows, as of November 3, 2026. Hearing dates and the expected decision are reported by CUPE-OSBCU, not by the Board. None of these is a strike date.

  1. August 31, 2026

    Central agreements expire

    The central agreements expired August 31, 2026. Existing terms continue to apply. Expiry alone does not permit a strike.

  2. Labour Board scope hearings

    Which issues are central and which are local

    OSBCU says the scope hearings finished October 28; OLRB-proposed mediation was set for November 2 (outcome not reported). OSBCU says it hopes to receive a decision in early November.

    OSBCU 2026 Central Bargaining Update #10 — October 7, 2026 OSBCU 2026 Central Bargaining Update #11 — October 22, 2026 OSBCU 2026 Central Bargaining Update #12 — October 28, 2026

  3. November 4, 2026 · Scheduled

    CUPE-OSBCU strike-vote window begins (November 4–18)

    OSBCU says an electronic strike vote for its 57,000 education workers is scheduled for November 4–18. A scheduled vote is not a completed result or a strike date.

    OSBCU 2026 Central Bargaining Update #9 — September 20, 2026

  4. November 6, 2026 · Scheduled

    OSSTF/FEESO strike-vote window begins (November 6–16)

    OSSTF/FEESO’s own release confirms this voting window for school board sector members and states there is no strike date and no job action planned. A scheduled vote is not a completed result or a strike date.

    OSSTF/FEESO to Hold Province-Wide Central Strike Vote November 6–16 OSSTF announces strike vote for November

  5. November 9, 2026 · Scheduled

    ETFO strike-vote window begins (November 9–18)

    ETFO’s own FAQ confirms this online voting window for its 84,000 members. A scheduled vote is not a completed result or a strike date.

    Frequently Asked Questions: Central Strike Votes Elementary teachers union says it will hold strike vote in November as contract talks stall

  6. November 12, 2026 · Scheduled

    OECTA strike-vote window begins (November 12–13)

    The Canadian Press reported this voting window on September 14. These are voting dates, not strike dates. The underlying member circular was not independently retrieved; no completed result is established.

    Ontario English Catholic teachers schedule strike vote amid stalled bargaining

  7. November 16, 2026 · Scheduled

    AEFO strike-vote window begins (November 16–17)

    AEFO’s own release confirms this voting window for its regular and occasional teaching staff. A scheduled vote is not a completed result or a strike date.

    L’AEFO tiendra un vote de grève cet automne Un vote de grève cet automne pour les enseignants franco-ontariens

  8. November 4, 2026

    Next review of this page

    We re-read the union, Labour Board and government pages listed below and update this page when something changes.

What each stage means for your child

Select a stage to see what it is, and what it does and does not change at school.

What has to happen before teachers can legally strike?

Expiry of the agreements does not do it. These steps come next, in this order. The voting requirement is separate and may take place at another point.

  1. Conciliation. One side asks the Ministry of Labour to appoint a conciliation officer to help them reach a deal. This is a required step before any lawful strike.
  2. No-board report issued. The Minister of Labour reports that a conciliation board will not be appointed. This starts a countdown. When the countdown ends, a lawful strike or lockout becomes possible.
  3. Legal strike position. The applicable legal prerequisites for job action must be satisfied, including the voting requirement and the relevant conciliation, waiting-period and notice requirements. A vote may take place separately from the other steps. A scheduled or successful vote alone does not establish a legal strike position, and a legal position does not announce a strike.

All nine stages

Notice to bargain served

No job action

A union formally tells the employers and the government that it wants to start talks. After notice is served, the parties must meet within 15 days.

At school: Nothing changes at school. Your child’s supports carry on exactly as they are.

At the central table

No job action

Province-wide talks are underway between the union, the employers’ bargaining agency, and the government. Local issues are bargained separately at each board.

At school: Nothing changes at school. This is normal bargaining.

Scope dispute at the Labour Board

No job action

The parties disagree about which issues belong at the central table and which belong at local tables. The Ontario Labour Relations Board decides. Talks can slow down or pause while that happens.

At school: Nothing changes at school. If a scope dispute pushes bargaining later into the year, the statutory steps that must come before any lawful job action would be pushed later too.

Conciliation

No job action

One side asks the Ministry of Labour to appoint a conciliation officer to help them reach a deal. This is a required step before any lawful strike.

At school: Nothing changes at school yet. This is the first step that leads toward a possible strike, so it is the point to ask your school for its contingency plan in writing.

No-board report issued

No job action

The Minister of Labour reports that a conciliation board will not be appointed. This starts a countdown. When the countdown ends, a lawful strike or lockout becomes possible.

At school: Still no change at school, but the clock is now running. If you have not received a written continuity plan, this is the moment to escalate.

Job action underway

Job action possible

Work-to-rule, rotating strikes, or a full withdrawal of services has begun. What is affected depends on which union is acting and which duties they have withdrawn.

At school: This is where students with disabilities are hit hardest - especially when educational assistants are involved. The duty to accommodate still applies in full.

Tentative agreement reached

No job action

Bargainers have shaken hands on a deal. It is not binding until members vote to accept it.

At school: Any job action normally stops. Supports return to normal.

Agreement ratified

No job action

Members have voted to accept the deal. The contract is in force.

At school: Bargaining is over for this round. What was won or lost now shapes the next few years.

Stage definitions: School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014 · Ontario Human Rights Commission strike fact sheet · Updated 2026-11-03

Does this affect my school board? TDSB, DDSB and others

Families often ask whether the TDSB, the DDSB or another board is on strike. The unions’ votes and the Labour Board hearing involve the unions and the province’s central tables. They are not decisions made by one board. Province-wide talks cover the union, the employers’ bargaining agency and the government. Local issues are bargained separately at each board.

This page is not a census of every central or local table. A dated notice from your own board or your child’s school is the source for what happens at your school. Look up your board in the Ontario school boards guide and find who to contact on the school board contacts page.

What has happened so far

Latest recorded event: October 28, 2026, OLRB scope hearings for education workers finish, according to OSBCU. Last reviewed November 3, 2026.

  1. November 2, 2026 Outcome unverified

    OLRB-proposed mediation scheduled, according to OSBCU

    OSBCU says the education-worker unions, AEFO and the English teachers’ unions agreed to an in-person mediation on November 2 to see whether the parties can find common ground before decisions are released, and that it will not delay the OLRB decisions. This is a union report of a scheduled session; no source reports whether it was held or what came of it.

  2. October 28, 2026

    OLRB scope hearings for education workers finish, according to OSBCU

    OSBCU Update #12 reports that the education-worker unions finished their Labour Board hearings on October 28 after the Ministry and the Council of Employers’ Associations responded. It says the OLRB has proposed mediation, to be held in person on November 2, and that decisions are expected within one to two weeks after the final hearing dates. This is a union report; no OLRB decision has been published and a hearing is not a strike or a strike vote.

  3. October 24, 2026

    Education union rallies held in five cities

    OSBCU’s and ETFO’s October 24 releases announced “Together for Publicly Funded Education” rallies that afternoon in Toronto, Ottawa, London, Sudbury and Thunder Bay. CBC News reported that evening that the rallies took place in all five cities; no source reports turnout figures. A rally is not a strike or a strike vote.

  4. October 21, 2026

    Second OLRB scope hearing held, according to OSBCU

    OSBCU Update #11 reports that unions completed their remaining submissions and the Ministry and Council of Employers’ Associations began responding. OSBCU expects hearings through October 28 and hopes for a decision in early November. This is a union report and expectation, not a published OLRB decision or a strike call.

  5. October 6, 2026

    First OLRB education-worker scope hearing held

    OSBCU Update #10 reports that the first hearing took place, with legal teams for CUPE-OSBCU and the other education unions presenting on four shared issues: contracting out, local union leave, short-term unpaid leaves, and transfer/surplus/redundancy timelines. The next hearing is October 21; hearings are expected to conclude October 28, after which the Ministry and the employers’ bargaining agency respond. OSBCU expects a decision in early November. This is reported by the union; no independent outlet covering the hearing was found this review.

  6. September 25, 2026

    OSSTF/FEESO schedules a strike vote, the fourth union to do so

    OSSTF/FEESO announces a strike vote for November 6-16 at its provincial council meeting. President Martha Hradowy says members are "standing together for publicly funded education," and the union’s release states there is "no strike date and no job action planned." Education Minister Paul Calandra’s spokesperson Emma Testani says "premature strike threats do not serve the interests of students." This is a scheduled member vote, not a strike call.

  7. September 23, 2026

    AEFO schedules a strike vote, the fifth union to do so

    AEFO announces a strike vote for its regular and occasional teaching staff on November 16-17. President Gabrielle Lemieux says the union does not sense "the same urgency" from the government to advance bargaining. This is a scheduled member vote, not a strike call.

  8. September 20, 2026

    CUPE-OSBCU leaders approve holding a strike vote

    OSBCU says leaders of CUPE school-board locals voted to hold an electronic member strike vote for its 57,000 education workers from November 4 to 18. The local leaders’ decision is not the members’ vote result and does not announce a strike.

  9. September 18, 2026

    ETFO schedules a strike vote, the third union to do so

    ETFO announces an online strike vote for its roughly 84,000 members from November 9 to 18, following CUPE-OSBCU and OECTA. ETFO president David Mastin says members can expect "a proportional response to the challenging times that we’re in right now." The Education Minister’s office says it remains ready to negotiate once the Labour Board process concludes. This is a scheduled member vote, not a strike call.

  10. September 17, 2026

    OSBCU reports Labour Board case management

    OSBCU later reported that the case-management meeting set scope-hearing dates for October 6, 21, 27 and 28, with hearings expected to finish by October 30. OSBCU expects a decision in early November. These are the union’s reported dates and expectation.

  11. September 16, 2026 Outcome unverified

    Province-wide education workplace day of action

    OSBCU Update #8 described a workplace day of action for more than 275,000 members of all of Ontario’s education unions, who were asked to wear purple and red. Its September 20 update does not report whether it took place, so the outcome remains unverified here. A workplace day of action is not a strike or a strike vote.

  12. September 2, 2026

    OLRB mediation on scope ends without agreement

    At the September 2 mediation, CUPE-OSBCU and the employers did not agree on central scope. OSBCU said the matter would proceed to a full Board hearing. No hearing date had been announced in the sources reviewed at that time; OSBCU later reported dates set after the September 17 case-management meeting.

  13. September 1, 2026

    Five union presidents issue a joint statement

    The presidents of AEFO, ETFO, OECTA, OSBCU and OSSTF/FEESO jointly state that teachers and education workers will welcome students back without new contracts, and describe the government as trying to move historically local bargaining items to the provincial table. The statement responds to the Minister of Education’s earlier reported remark that he was "optimistic" deals could be reached before Labour Day. It announces no strike vote and no job action.

  14. August 31, 2026

    Central agreements expire

    The 2022-2026 central agreements expire without replacement. Expiry alone does not permit a strike - conciliation and a no-board report must come first, and a labour-relations expert quoted by CBC notes there cannot be job action until there is actual bargaining. Existing terms and conditions continue to apply in the meantime.

  15. August 29, 2026

    CUPE-OSBCU holds province-wide rallies

    OSBCU members rally at locations across Ontario, in what the union describes as a call to "defend public education". No strike vote is announced.

  16. August 18, 2026

    Union leaders say job action is not off the table

    With talks stalled on the scope question, ETFO president David Mastin tells CP24 the federation is "going to fight" and would proceed "one step at a time"; OSSTF president Martha Hradowy says: "Let us bargain." The Ministry of Education says it remains ready to continue discussions on the scope of central versus local issues. CHCH reports the next day that ETFO and OSSTF are not currently bargaining and that OECTA is the only major union still at the table.

  17. August 6, 2026

    OSBCU files a formal scope application with the Labour Board

    OSBCU files its application asking the Ontario Labour Relations Board to determine which issues belong within the scope of central bargaining, and writes to the Crown and the employers’ bargaining agency asking that bargaining proceed meanwhile on the items both sides already agree are central. OSBCU says it cannot say how long the Board will take.

  18. July 22, 2026

    OSBCU refers scope dispute to the Labour Board

    After four days at the central table, OSBCU rejects a Ministry proposal to centralize historically local items and refers the scope question to the Ontario Labour Relations Board. OSBCU says the dispute could delay bargaining by several months.

  19. June 3, 2026

    Five unions serve notice to bargain

    AEFO, ETFO, OECTA, OSBCU and OSSTF/FEESO each serve notice to bargain, together representing more than 255,000 teachers and education workers. The parties must meet within 15 days.

  20. March 4, 2026

    The early-bargaining window opens

    Under the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act framework, the Minister of Education may allow central bargaining to begin up to 180 days before the agreements expire. That window opens roughly 180 days ahead of the August 31 expiry. The unions had asked two days earlier for exactly this. It was not used, and bargaining began after notice was served in June.

  21. March 2, 2026

    Unions jointly call for early bargaining

    AEFO, ETFO, OECTA, OSBCU and OSSTF publicly ask the government to start bargaining early, citing the risk of a September disruption. The unions say the call was not taken up.

  22. September 1, 2022

    Current central agreements take effect

    The four-year central agreements covering Ontario teachers and education workers begin.

Claims and sources from this page(3)

What did the 2026 Ontario Auditor General find about special education?

Tabled May 12, 2026, the Auditor General's Special Report on Special Education Needs found 65% of reviewed files had no written rationale for a special-class placement, 90%+ of IEP goals lacked measurable criteria, an average of 18% of EAs absent on any given school day (AG 2026, p.37; 49-72% of absences unfilled), and only 21% of inclusive-classroom teachers could meet most students' needs. It made 15 recommendations; the Ministry disagreed with 2.

Source: Auditor General of Ontario, Special Report on Special Education Needs (May 12, 2026) · Open source record

How often are education-assistant absences left unfilled in Ontario schools?

On an average school day in 2023/24, 18% of education assistants were absent across the three audited boards, and 49-72% of EA absences went unfilled by a qualified temporary replacement. EAs handle day-to-day behaviour support, personal care, and IEP implementation; when an absence is not filled, that support disappears for the day.

Source: Auditor General of Ontario, Special Report on Special Education Needs (May 12, 2026) · Open source record

What happens to a child with special needs when their education assistant is absent?

When an education assistant is absent and not replaced, schools may place the student on a modified-day schedule, ask the family to keep the child home, or run short-staffed. The Auditor General's staffing recommendation asks boards to start tracking when special-education students are sent home or have their day modified because of unfilled absences. Boards do not currently keep that data.

Source: Auditor General of Ontario, Special Report on Special Education Needs (May 12, 2026) · Open source record

How we check this page

Dates come from union releases and bargaining pages, Labour Board updates reported by OSBCU, official Ontario pages and named news reports. Each one is dated in the source list on this page. Anything one side says about the other is labelled as that side’s report. We leave out figures from earlier bargaining rounds. This page was last reviewed November 3, 2026 and is next due November 4, 2026. This site is parent-led. It is not a union and not the government. See our corrections policy.

Ontario teacher strike 2026: common questions

Are Ontario teachers going on strike in 2026?

No strike date announced; five member strike votes scheduled (reviewed November 3, 2026). A vote is not a strike, and the sources we reviewed do not show that the legal steps for job action are complete. The Labour Board is hearing the dispute over which issues are bargained centrally, according to OSBCU. Check your own union and board notices.

When are the Ontario teacher strike votes?

Each union set its own dates: ETFO November 9–18, 2026, OSSTF/FEESO November 6–16, 2026, OECTA November 12–13, 2026, AEFO November 16–17, 2026 and CUPE-OSBCU November 4–18, 2026. These are voting windows, not strike dates. No result has been announced as of November 3, 2026.

What happens after a strike vote?

The applicable legal prerequisites for job action must be satisfied, including the voting requirement and the relevant conciliation, waiting-period and notice requirements. A vote may take place separately from the other steps. A scheduled or successful vote alone does not establish a legal strike position, and a legal position does not announce a strike. OSSTF/FEESO’s own September 25 release says a strike vote is not a strike and that more legal steps would be needed before its members could be in a lawful strike position.

Which unions are bargaining in this round?

Five unions served notice to bargain on June 3, 2026: ETFO, OSSTF/FEESO, OECTA, AEFO and CUPE-OSBCU. Together they represent more than 255,000 teachers and education workers. Each bargains at its own central table. Other education unions may bargain separately, so this page is not a census of every table.

When did the Ontario teacher contracts expire, and can teachers strike now?

The central agreements expired August 31, 2026. Existing terms and conditions continue to apply. Expiry alone does not permit a strike. The legal prerequisites for job action must be met first, including the voting requirement and the conciliation, waiting-period and notice requirements.

Is my school board, such as the TDSB or DDSB, on strike?

No strike date announced; five member strike votes scheduled (reviewed November 3, 2026). The votes and the Labour Board hearing involve the unions and the province’s central tables, not one board. Local issues are bargained separately at each board. This page is not a census of every central or local table, so check your own board’s notices.

What is the Labour Board scope dispute?

The parties disagree about which issues belong at the central table and which belong at local tables. The Ontario Labour Relations Board decides. Talks can slow down or pause while that happens. CUPE-OSBCU filed its application on August 6, 2026. OSBCU says the scope hearings finished October 28; OLRB-proposed mediation was set for November 2 (outcome not reported). OSBCU says it hopes for a decision in early November. These dates are reported by the union, not by the Board.

Do not wait for a strike date to ask

The time to get your child’s continuity of accommodation plan in writing is before conciliation begins, not after a walkout starts.

Evidence for this record

Evidence for this record
DateRecordPublisherSource type
2026-06-03 Research sourceOntario's Education Unions Serve Notice to BargainElementary Teachers’ Federation of OntarioResearch source
2026-06-03 Research sourceOntario's Education Unions Serve Notice to BargainOntario Secondary School Teachers’ FederationResearch source
2026-03-02 Research sourceOntario's Education Unions Call for an Early Start to Bargaining to Best Support Students and FamiliesOntario School Board Council of UnionsResearch source
2026-07-22 Research sourceOSBCU 2026 Central Bargaining Update #5Ontario School Board Council of UnionsResearch source
2026-06-03 Research sourceOntario education unions serve notice to bargain as possible September strike loomsThe Globe and MailResearch source
2026-06-03 Research sourceEducation unions serve notice to bargain, begin countdown for contract talks with provinceCBC NewsResearch source
2014 Government sourceSchool Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014, S.O. 2014, c. 5CanLIIGovernment source
Government sourceEqual access to education for students with disabilities during strikes (fact sheet)Ontario Human Rights CommissionGovernment source
2026-08-06 Research sourceOSBCU 2026 Central Bargaining Update #6Ontario School Board Council of UnionsResearch source
2026-08-06 Research sourceLetter to the Crown and CEA re: Request to commence central bargaining on agreed central scope itemsOntario School Board Council of UnionsResearch source
2026-03-02 Research sourceOntario's Education Unions Call for an Early Start to Bargaining to Best Support Students and FamiliesOntario Secondary School Teachers’ FederationResearch source
Government sourceHuman Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.19Government of OntarioGovernment source
Research sourceNégociations 2026 - Personnel enseignant régulier et suppléantAssociation des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariensResearch source
2026-08-18 Research source‘We are going to fight’: Ontario teachers’ unions mull strike action as bargaining talks stallCP24Research source
2026-08-19 Research sourceOntario teachers without new contract as talks between province and unions stallCHCH NewsResearch source
2026-08-31 Research sourceWhat stalled negotiations between Ontario and teachers' unions mean for back to schoolCBC NewsResearch source
2026-08-24 Research sourceFight Ford: province-wide protestsOntario School Board Council of UnionsResearch source
2026-09-01 Research sourceJoint statement: Calandra’s bargaining bluster falls flat against dire challenges in publicly funded educationElementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (joint release of the five central unions)Research source
2026 Government sourcePutting Student Achievement First Act, 2026, S.O. 2026, c. 4Legislative Assembly of OntarioGovernment source
2026-04-14 Government sourceHansard Transcript, April 14, 2026Legislative Assembly of OntarioGovernment source
2026-09-02 Research sourceOSBCU 2026 Central Bargaining Update #7 – September 2, 2026Ontario School Board Council of UnionsResearch source
2026-09-02 Research sourceOntario teachers set to return to classroom without new contractsCP24Research source
2026-08-20 Research sourceOntario teachers will be without a contract as school returns but education minister very optimisticAM800/CKLWResearch source
2026-04-30 Government sourceStanding Committee on Social Policy Transcript, April 30, 2026Legislative Assembly of OntarioGovernment source
2026-09-14 Research sourceOntario English Catholic teachers schedule strike vote amid stalled bargainingThe Canadian Press / CityNewsResearch source
2026-09-11 Research sourceOSBCU 2026 Central Bargaining Update #8 — September 10, 2026CUPE-OSBCUResearch source
2026-09-03 Research sourceBargaining Bulletin #4: Together for Publicly Funded EducationOPSEU/SEFPOResearch source
Government sourceO. Reg. 50/26 — The 2026 Round of Collective BargainingOntario e-LawsGovernment source
Government sourceCollective bargainingOntario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills DevelopmentGovernment source
2026-09-20 Research sourceOSBCU 2026 Central Bargaining Update #9 — September 20, 2026Ontario School Board Council of Unions (CUPE-OSBCU)Research source
2026-09-18 Research sourceElementary teachers union says it will hold strike vote in November as contract talks stallCP24Research source
2026-09-21 Research sourceOntario education unions promise ‘proportional response,’ schedule 3rd strike voteGlobal NewsResearch source
2026-09-23 Research sourceUn vote de grève cet automne pour les enseignants franco-ontariensLe DroitResearch source
2026-09-23 Research sourceVote de grève des enseignants de l’AEFORadio-CanadaResearch source
2026-09-25 Research sourceOSSTF announces strike vote for NovemberCP24Research source
2026-09-26 Research sourceTeachers put issues on table in labour talks with governmentChronicle Journal (Thunder Bay; Canadian Press wire)Research source
2026-09-25 Research sourceOSSTF/FEESO to Hold Province-Wide Central Strike Vote November 6–16Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO)Research source
Research sourceFrequently Asked Questions: Central Strike VotesElementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO Collective Bargaining)Research source
2026-09-23 Research sourceL’AEFO tiendra un vote de grève cet automneAssociation des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO)Research source
2026-10-07 Research sourceOSBCU 2026 Central Bargaining Update #10 — October 7, 2026Ontario School Board Council of Unions (CUPE-OSBCU)Research source
2026-10-22 Research sourceOSBCU 2026 Central Bargaining Update #11 — October 22, 2026Ontario School Board Council of Unions (CUPE-OSBCU)Research source
2026-10-28 Research sourceOSBCU 2026 Central Bargaining Update #12 — October 28, 2026Ontario School Board Council of Unions (CUPE-OSBCU)Research source
2026-10-24 Research sourceMEDIA RELEASE: Thousands of Ontarians to Attend ‘Together for Publicly Funded Education’ Rallies — October 24, 2026Ontario School Board Council of Unions (CUPE-OSBCU)Research source
2026-10-24 Research sourceThousands of Ontarians to Attend ‘Together for Publicly Funded Education’ Rallies — October 24, 2026Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO)Research source
2026-10-24 Research sourceTeachers, education workers rally in Toronto calling for more funding for educationCBC NewsResearch source

Sources on this page

The source chain stays visible.

Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.

Facts 1
Sources 2

Under Ontario Regulation 181/98, an Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) can place a student in a special education program. Once that placement starts, the principal has 30 school days to make sure an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is completed. Ministry policy (PPM 140) also lets boards write IEPs for students who have not been formally identified by an IPRC

Primary source Government of Ontario (1998) Verified 2026-10-04
Open complete source list(2)
Last system verification: 2026-11-03. Next scheduled update: 2027-02-01.

About this page

Check the author’s context, review method, and how to report an error.

Written by Spencer Carroll

Founder & Autism Advocate

Lived experience: Parent of autistic child in the OAP system