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Preliminary figures from Elections Alberta placed support for remaining in Canada at 76 percent with more than 1.5 million ballots counted by early October 20, while 24 percent backed starting legal steps toward a future separation referendum. The non-binding vote, which included nine other questions on immigration and constitutional matters, drew strong early participation with 1.3 million advance and mail-in ballots submitted before polling day. CBC News projections and those from The Globe and Mail confirmed the remain side had prevailed as results rolled in from across the province.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called the referendum after a separatist petition gathered about 300,000 signatures seeking a binding independence vote, though a judge had blocked it for failing to consult Indigenous groups. A counter-petition opposing separation collected more than 400,000 signatures, according to data cited by The Guardian. Smith, who has opposed outright independence despite pressure from some in her United Conservative Party, positioned the ballot as an opportunity to measure sentiment and address longstanding provincial grievances.
Smith posted on social media that she was very pleased with the initial results from Elections Alberta showing widespread support for remaining in Canada. “Albertans have voted for a stronger Alberta in a united Canada,” she wrote. Prime Minister Mark Carney, reacting to the outcome, stated that Albertans made a clear choice for unity, to build together, and to take care of each other, adding that above all they chose Canada.
The plebiscite represented the first vote of its kind in Canada since the 1995 Quebec referendum, where voters rejected secession by a narrow margin, CNN noted in its coverage. The Alberta question stopped short of asking directly about leaving the country and instead inquired whether the government should commence the legal process under the constitution for a binding provincial referendum on separation. Elections Alberta indicated the full count could take two days to complete as ballots were tallied by hand.
The process unfolded as Canada faced external pressures, including a trade dispute with the United States and comments from President Donald Trump that stoked annexation talk, according to AP News reporting. Carney had previously cautioned about outside efforts aimed at dividing the country. Business leaders expressed relief at the result, which The Globe and Mail said removed a layer of uncertainty around Alberta’s economic contributions as an oil-producing region central to national energy output.
Separatist figures described the 24 percent support as a signal that underlying issues persist. Keith Wilson, a leader in the movement, told reporters that the numbers could still fluctuate but that at least a quarter of Albertans feel the province needs better treatment. An Angus Reid poll conducted days before the vote found 62 percent of Albertans expect the separatist movement to continue indefinitely despite the outcome.
