Voters in Canada’s oil-rich province of Alberta have overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to begin the process of separating from the country, with unofficial results showing 77% opposed the initiative, delivering a political boost to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s efforts to preserve national unity.
More than one million ballots had been counted following the referendum held on 19 October, with 23% supporting the proposal, according to Elections Alberta. The vote was not a direct decision on independence. Had it passed, it would have set the province on a path towards a future referendum on separation.
Carney welcomed the outcome on 20 October, saying Albertans had chosen to remain part of Canada and enabling the country to pursue an ambitious economic agenda.
“Above all, Albertans chose Canada,” he said in a statement, adding that Canadians could move forward together with renewed purpose and greater ambition.
The prime minister also highlighted plans to develop new international trade partnerships, accelerate major infrastructure projects and expand Canada’s role as a global energy power, with Alberta central to those ambitions.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also welcomed the early results, describing them as evidence of support for a stronger province within a united country. “Albertans have voted for a stronger Alberta in a united Canada,” she wrote on social media.
Smith, who opposes independence, called the referendum amid pressure from separatists within her governing United Conservative Party. She was scheduled to address the province on Tuesday evening on the results and Alberta’s future.
Thomas Lukaszuk, a former deputy premier who led the Forever Canadian campaign opposing separation, also celebrated the outcome. “We are a solid country that’s united from coast to coast to coast,” he told supporters.
Separatist figures, however, argued that the vote exposed continuing dissatisfaction with the federal government in Ottawa. Keith Wilson, a prominent figure in the movement, cautioned that the results remained unofficial and could change, while maintaining that a significant share of the population wanted better treatment from the federal government.
“We don’t have the final results. I think the numbers are going to fluctuate, but it is fair to say that at least a quarter of Albertans feel that Alberta needs to be treated better,” Wilson said.
The announcement of results was delayed after late openings forced more than 100 polling stations to extend their voting hours on Monday.
Alberta holds a central place in Canada’s energy industry, with the world’s fourth-largest proven oil reserves. The province is also a conservative stronghold whose political culture has often had more in common with the American West than with other parts of Canada.
Although resentment towards the federal government has persisted for decades, separatist parties historically attracted only 1% to 2% of the vote, according to former premier Jason Kenney. Anger over COVID-19 restrictions later helped mobilise activists who embraced the independence movement.
More recently, US President Donald Trump’s trade war and threats to make Canada the 51st US state have helped Carney rally support in Alberta, where Liberal prime ministers have traditionally been unpopular.
The referendum result offers a clear indication that, despite enduring regional grievances, a substantial majority of participating voters remain opposed to initiating a formal process towards Alberta’s separation from Canada.
