Albertans vote to remain in Canada by a wide margin

Albertans voted by a wide margin Monday to remain in Canada, with about 76 per cent backing the province staying put on the referendum’s separation question, according to unofficial results from Elections Alberta.

As of early Tuesday, with 38 per cent of voting places reporting, 969,052 votes had been cast for Alberta to remain a province of Canada and 298,517 for the provincial government to start the legal process toward a binding separation referendum, the Elections Alberta results site showed. CBC News projected that the Remain side would win.

Remain also led in all three ridings in southeastern Alberta. In Cypress-Medicine Hat, it had 69.7 per cent of the vote, 14,282 to 6,202, with 29 of 59 voting places reporting. In Brooks-Medicine Hat, Remain had 63.3 per cent, 11,667 to 6,771, with 39 of 73 reporting.

Taber-Warner, which includes Bow Island and Foremost, was much closer. Remain led there with 52.2 per cent, 5,677 votes to 5,190, with 20 of 70 voting places reporting.

“Albertans have voted for a stronger Alberta in a united Canada,” Premier Danielle Smith said in a post on X late Monday. Smith said she will address Albertans live at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday to discuss the results and where the province goes from here.

Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the result in a statement early Tuesday. “Albertans made a clear choice,” Carney said. “Above all, Albertans chose Canada.”

Elections Alberta is counting the separation question first, followed by Questions 1 through 9, so far fewer ballots had been counted on the other nine questions early Tuesday. Those results could still change significantly.

With partial counts in, the five questions on immigration, social programs and voting were passing. Question 1, on greater provincial control over immigration, had 56.9 per cent support. Question 2, limiting provincially funded programs to citizens, permanent residents and those with Alberta-approved status, had 55 per cent. Question 3, a 12-month residency rule for social supports, had 56.5 per cent. Question 4, a fee for non-permanent residents’ use of health care and education, had 54.5 per cent, and Question 5, proof of citizenship to vote, had 59.7 per cent.

The four constitutional questions were trailing or tied. Question 6, on provinces choosing their own superior court judges, had 48 per cent support. Question 7, on abolishing the Senate, was effectively tied, with 61,795 votes against and 61,758 in favour. Question 8, letting provinces opt out of federal programs while keeping the funding, had 45.5 per cent, and Question 9, giving provincial laws priority over conflicting federal laws, had 47.3 per cent.

All ballots are being counted by hand. Elections Alberta extended voting hours at 106 voting places that opened late Monday, delaying the start of results until the last closed at 10 p.m. Provincial rules require unofficial results to be published within 48 hours of polls closing.

Official results are scheduled to be announced Oct. 29.