Alberta voters clearly rejected starting a process toward separation from Canada, with about three-quarters backing the province’s continued place in the country and Premier Danielle Smith saying she will not call another separation referendum while she is premier.
The vote was held Oct. 19, and results began coming in the next day. The ballot did not ask Albertans whether they wanted to leave Canada. It asked whether their government should begin the legal process for a future binding vote on separation.
Unofficial results showed that about 75% chose to remain a Canadian province, while roughly 25% supported starting that process. Smith said she voted against independence and had described the referendum as a way to settle a divisive question. After the result, she said she would respect voters’ choice.
She said she would not hold another separation vote while she was premier. She also indicated that her government would keep pressing Ottawa for provincial autonomy, but not through another separation referendum. Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the result as a choice for Canadian unity.
Separatist campaign leaders acknowledged the setback but said their movement would continue. The vote did not resolve Alberta’s broader disputes with the federal government over energy policy and provincial powers.