On October 28, 2025, the province announced proposed legislative amendments designed to strengthen protections for students and enhance accountability for private career colleges. These amendments include:

• Setting clear standards for how students are recruited, and limiting financial incentives tied to recruitment
• Making information about private career colleges and their programs publicly available so students can clearly understand the program offerings, costs, employment and graduation rates, and any compliance issues 
• Setting clearer standards on who can start or operate a private career college, and clearer standards on program quality
• Providing stronger enforcement tools to ensure private career colleges and their programs are meeting quality standards
• Allowing the government to have stronger controls and providing them with ability to step in when schools aren’t doing things properly

For many people across Alberta, education represents hope. It’s the promise of a better job, increased income, and a pathway to stability and independence. At Momentum, we work every day with people who are eager to train for a good job and grow their income and assets. For many, getting an education at a private career college sounds like the perfect solution, but not all education has led to opportunity. In fact, for many, private career college programs have been a very real gamble.

With more than 200 private career colleges in Alberta and 25,000 learners annually, this industry is vital to skills and employment training in our province. From truck driving to machine operators, to hairstyling and medical office assistants, students are working hard to get ahead—yet many end up on a path to nowhere with tens of thousands of dollars in debt due to poor quality private career colleges in our province. 

This is not just policy. This is about real people. We think of students who have trusted us with their stories so that no one else would have to walk the same painful path. 

Ausie, a recently arrived refugee, believed she was gaining specialized training, only to learn she had been signed up for a $9,000 loan at 30% interest—without her understanding at the time. Stories like hers are real, painful, and far too common. Read more stories from real students in our recent report.

Today, there is reason to feel encouraged.

These proposed changes have teeth. They raise the bar. They make it possible for a student to compare programs confidently and to ask better questions. They give recourse to a student who gets tangled up with a bad actor and enable the government to take action against those bad actors.

We are eager to see this legislation passed. This amendment will be a win for students, a win for employers, and a win for Alberta’s local economy. When education works, we all benefit.

We are grateful to the Ministry of Advanced Education and to the team at the Private Career College Branch for recognizing the importance of this issue. We extend heartfelt appreciation to our fellow non-profit advocates, and most of all, to the students who bravely shared their stories. Your courage made this moment possible.