Strike hustle: Why Alberta teachers are turning to side gigs

Teachers across Alberta are finding new ways to stay afloat as the provincewide strike enters its second week — with more than 50,000 educators going without a paycheque.

In Fort McMurray, high school teacher Greg Pollard has traded whiteboards for a heat press. Working from his basement, Pollard designs and prints custom jerseys, shirts and water bottles under the name Bean & Bud Custom Designs. What started as a side project for school teams is now his full-time income stream. “I don’t know what I would do right now without it. I’d have no money during the strike,” Pollard told CBC.

Pollard is one of thousands of Alberta teachers navigating the financial reality of a strike without pay. After an 89.5 per cent vote against the province’s latest contract offer, educators began walking off the job on 6 October — fully aware there would be no strike pay. With talks paused and no resolution in sight, many are now relying on side hustles, gig work and entrepreneurial ventures to stay financially stable.

Creative outlets become financial lifelines

In Airdrie, music teacher Sarah Batchelor is crocheting hair scrunchies and mug cozies, selling them online and at local markets. For her, the work is therapeutic — and vital. “I’m still worrying about some of these kids. Like, do you get breakfast? Are you safe today?” she told CBC. “The creative outlet when you are dealing with emotional stress is really important.”

For others, the pivot to side work is about survival. Natalie Roy, a single mother and teacher in Cochrane, has restarted her photography business, Whimsical West Photography. Though she’s glad to be back behind the lens, she said re-establishing a client base while managing parenting and uncertainty has been harder than expected. “There’s a lot of pressure to keep working,” Roy explained to CBC. “And it puts us in a difficult position because you can’t just go get a job anywhere else. We don’t know how long we’re going to be off.”

According to the Alberta Teachers’ Association, educators can take on other jobs during the strike — with the exception of tutoring students they currently teach, which is restricted under the Code of Conduct.

The union and the province are set to return to the bargaining table this week for the first time since the strike began.

A workforce adapting under pressure

Side gigs during strikes aren’t new. But the scale and visibility of this one is notable. Christian Cook, a professor of human resources and labour relations at Mount Royal University, told CBC it reflects larger shifts happening in Canada’s job market.“In the past two years, when job action has taken place and employees have gone on strike, those strikes are lasting longer than they did maybe 10 or 15 years ago,” Cook said.

While Alberta’s teachers are facing a specific moment of disruption, the move toward juggling multiple income streams isn’t unique to the education sector or to the strike. It’s part of a wider shift happening across the Canadian workforce.

According to Employment Hero’s Annual Jobs Report 2025: Work in Motion, 36 per cent of employed Canadians say they need to work multiple jobs just to cover basic living costs. Among workers aged 18 to 24, that figure climbs to 50 per cent — a signal of the growing financial strain younger employees face.

In this context, Alberta’s striking teachers reflect a broader shift in how Canadians earn a living. For many, one job isn’t enough — and that reality is showing up across sectors.

Implications for employers and HR leaders

The realities teachers are facing today may sound familiar to Canadian small business owners and HR leaders. Staffing gaps, wage pressures and burnout are pushing more employees to explore side income or temporary exits.

For employers, that means being more attuned to financial pressure points. Flexible schedules, side gig support policies and open conversations about burnout aren’t just “nice-to-haves” anymore. They’re essential for retention.

Strikes often bring workplace tension to the surface — but they also reveal what workers value and need. In Alberta, educators are adapting quickly, turning side hustles into temporary income streams. And with financial pressures mounting nationwide, more workers may follow.