Alberta Voters Reject Secession as Majority Backs Remaining in Canada

By Staff, Agencies

A majority of voters in Canada’s western province of Alberta have voted to remain part of the country, according to projections by Canadian broadcaster CBC News following a nonbinding referendum.

As of 0630 GMT, with 1,961 of the province’s 5,587 polling stations reporting, preliminary results showed that 76.6% of voters, representing 946,632 people, supported remaining in Canada. Meanwhile, 23.4%, or 288,879 voters, favored beginning the process that could lead to a separation referendum.

The ballot asked Albertans whether the province should remain part of Canada or whether the provincial government should initiate the constitutional process required to hold a binding referendum on independence.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the projected outcome, saying Albertans had made their position clear.

“Albertans made a clear choice. They chose unity, to build together, and to take care of each other,” Carney said in a statement.

He added that the result meant Albertans and Canadians across the country would “move forward together with renewed purpose and high ambition.”

“Canada is so much greater than the sum of its parts,” he said.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also expressed satisfaction with the outcome, saying she was “pleased” that voters had rejected secession. She thanked residents for taking part in what she described as a “critically important referendum.”

According to Elections Alberta, the province’s election agency, approximately 1.36 million residents cast ballots through advance voting and special voting arrangements.

The referendum ballot contained 10 questions. The first nine focused on immigration and constitutional issues, while the final question addressed Alberta’s future within the Canadian federation.

Despite the projected result, the vote is nonbinding and does not automatically determine the province’s constitutional status or rule out future efforts to pursue independence.

Elections Alberta said ballots would be counted by hand, with the question concerning separation counted first. Unofficial results were expected within 48 hours of the polls closing, while the official results were scheduled to be released on October 29.