WorldPosted at: Oct 20 2026 6:05PM


Alberta voters overwhelmingly reject referendum to separate province from rest of Canada; PM Mark Carney hails unity

Edmonton, Oct 20 (UNI) Voters in Canada's Alberta province have overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to begin the process towards separation from Canada, delivering a significant victory for Prime Minister Mark Carney and supporters of national unity, according to unofficial results reported by Elections Alberta.
With more than 1.5 million votes counted, 76% supported remaining in Canada, while nearly 24% backed starting the legal process that could lead to a future independence referendum, reports The Guardian.
"Albertans made a clear choice. They chose unity, to build together, and to take care of each other. Above all, Albertans chose Canada," Carney said.
Carney, who grew up in Edmonton, said the result would allow the country to move forward with efforts to diversify trade, develop major infrastructure projects and establish Canada as a global energy powerhouse, with Alberta at the centre.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith welcomed the outcome, saying voters had chosen "a stronger Alberta in a united Canada".
Separatist campaigners, however, argued that the result demonstrated continued dissatisfaction with the federal government. Keith Wilson, one of the movement's leaders, said at least a quarter of Albertans believed the province deserved better treatment.
The ballot did not ask voters directly whether Alberta should become independent, but instead asked whether the provincial government should begin the legal process required to hold a binding referendum on separation. The question was one of 10 put to voters on Monday, with the others covering issues including immigration, healthcare, education and provincial constitutional powers.
Delays at around 100 of the province's 1,400 polling stations pushed the announcement of results back by more than two hours.
Elections Alberta said the remaining results could take several days to finalise.
Around 43% of eligible voters, or approximately 1.3 million people, had already cast ballots through advance voting and mail-in ballots, pointing to potentially higher turnout than in the province's 2021 referendum.
In the run-up to the vote, federal and provincial politicians campaigned across Alberta, an oil-rich province that has long clashed with Liberal governments in Ottawa over energy policy and federal authority.
Carney had urged voters not to use the referendum simply to express frustration with the federal government, warning that a vote against Canada could lead to years of uncertainty and lost opportunities.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, whose parliamentary seat is in Alberta, also appealed for unity, telling supporters that the province's grievances with the government should not be confused with the country itself.
"Canada is more than a government," he said. "It is a people, a flag, a land, a history and a promise."
The referendum had become a political challenge for Smith, whose leadership of the United Conservative Party was partly built on support from separatist-leaning members who helped oust her predecessor, Jason Kenney. In recent months, she had sought to accommodate both federalists and separatists within the party as public support for her government declined.
The independence movement gained momentum after the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests, which began over vaccine requirements for cross-border truckers before expanding into a broader campaign against pandemic restrictions. Some activists subsequently shifted their focus towards Alberta's separation from Canada.
Despite the defeat, separatist campaigners said they intended to continue their efforts.
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas, a prominent opponent of independence, said the city's future was strongest within Canada, warning that prolonged uncertainty could encourage businesses and investors to move their capital elsewhere.
"I am Canadian because I'm Canadian, not in a transactional way and regardless of the flavour of prime minister," Farkas said, adding that the separatist movement regarded independence as a long-term project.
UNI ANV RN
Tags: #Alberta voters overwhelmingly reject referendum to separate province from rest of Canada; PM Mark Carney hails unity
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