Banned Books in Alberta

In 2025, the Government of Alberta issued a sweeping order requiring schools to remove from K–12 libraries any books containing "explicit sexual content" by October 1, under a newly introduced ministerial directive. While the policy is framed as an effort to shield children, many argue it disproportionately targets LGBTQ+–affirming literature and imposes ideological censorship.

Edmonton Public Schools responded by identifying and removing over 200 titles, including widely recognized works by authors such as Margaret Atwood, Maya Angelou, Alice Munro, George Orwell, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Although the province has not published an exhaustive list this move has sparked significant concern among educators, authors, and civil liberties advocates, who warn it may erode representation and critical engagement in Alberta’s school libraries.