The independence question of the 2026 Alberta referendum will be one of ten questions for the 2026 Alberta referendums, which will take place on October 19, 2026. The question is a choice of two options; whether to remain in Canada or for the province of Alberta to take steps toward holding a binding referendum on separating from Canada.
Background
Since the Liberal Party's fourth consecutive win in the 2025 Canadian federal election, premier of Alberta Danielle Smith has been under pressure to call a referendum on separation. However legal restraints put a brake on quick action. The province's Citizen Initiative Act does enable a group of citizens to force the government to hold a referendum. Knowing the situation and in order to preempt the discussion, Thomas Lukaszuk and others in favour of Alberta remaining in Canada collected signatures to force a referendum on Alberta remaining in Canada. The presentation of the question on the petition was nuanced—one size of lettering was used for one part: "we as represented by the signatory and applicant below propose a referendum on the following question:"; then bolder lettering was used for this part: "Do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?"
Petition controversy After Thomas Lukaszuk's petition drive had begun, on May 25, 2025 the Smith government passed an amendment to the Citizen Initiative Act, which greatly lowered the threshold required for a petition to trigger a referendum.
Stay Free Alberta collected signatures on a petition in support of an independence referendum. They claimed the petition had received 300,000 signatures. However, some questioned the credibility of this petition, once it was revealed that separatist groups had gained access to the Elections Alberta List of Electors, after the personal information of millions of Albertans appeared in an online database operated by the Centurion Project, another separatist group. The leak has led to allegations that the leaked voter data may have been used for the purposes of forging petition signatures. (As well, news sources reported that some signatures on the referendum had been collected from people outside Alberta.)CTV/Kavanagh. A ‘distraction,’ ‘gaslighting’: Both sides of Alberta’s separation debate say they’re displeased with upcoming referendum https://www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/article/a-distraction-gaslighting-both-sides-of-albertas-separation-debate-say-theyre-displeased-with-upcoming-referendum/ accessed 2026-09-22
On May 13, 2026, the Court of King's Bench of Alberta struck down the petition after it was argued that the separatist groups had not properly consulted with Indigenous peoples in Alberta, which was considered to be a constitutional requirement given the implications that separation would have on treaty rights. Danielle Smith criticized the ruling as being undemocratic, and claimed that a Justin Trudeau-appointed judge was undermining the democratic will of Albertans. She also claimed that her government was prepared to utilize the notwithstanding clause to prevent the courts from being able to intervene, despite said clause not actually applying to the sections of the constitution that the court had ruled was violated. After another judge ruled that Elections Alberta should proceed with signature verification for the separatist petition, in case an appeal of the May 13 ruling was successful, the petition was verified as having received almost 223,000 signatures.
The petition in support of Alberta remaining in Canada organized by Thomas Lukaszuk was verified by Elections Alberta to have received over 400,000 signatures.
Addition of the question On May 21, 2026, Smith announced in a televised address that a remain/separate question would be added to the nine questions listed for the October vote. It incorporated the Thomas Lukaszuk's "Alberta Forever Canada" question, and in order to circumvent the court ruling against a vote on separation, the new referendum question also set out that if the leave vote won, it would not compel the government to seek separation from Canada, but instead would open the door to a subsequent referendum on remaining in Canada or independence. Smith argued that this question in the form of an A or B choice respected the wishes of both the separatist groups and the pro-Canada campaigns, although those on both sides of the debate criticized it.
The final question reads (in the style of a "pick one" choice): Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?
Opinion polls
The following table shows responses to the question posed in the 2026 referendum. Polling on whether Alberta should separate from Canada, rather than on whether a future referendum on separation should be held, can be found in the article on Alberta separatism.
Date(s) conducted Remain in Canada Hold Separation Referendum Undecided Lead (pp) Sample Pollster Polling type Margin of error Notes September 18–22, 2026 70%20%10%50600IpsosOnline±4.9% September 8–21, 2026 72%23%4%491,200Janet BrownTelephone/Online±2.8% September 4–7, 2026 64%24%9%401,000Abacus DataOnline±3.1% August 24–26, 2026 74%22%4%52750Research Co.Online±3.6% August 21–23, 2026 65%23%10%421,001LegerOnline±3.1% August 10–13, 2026 61%33%5%281,017Angus ReidOnline±3%June 19–July 2, 2026 70%23%7%461,007PollaraOnline±3.1%June 7–12, 2026 65%21%9%44777SparkOnlineN/AWon't Vote 5% May 29–June 1, 2026 68%24%8%441,014LegerOnline±3.1% May 28–June 1, 2026 72%19%10%53600IpsosOnline±4.9% May 22–24, 2026 60%35%5%25800Angus ReidOnline±3%
Endorsements
Independence Politicians Maxime Bernier, Leader of the People's Party of Canada from 2018 to present. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, Leader of the from 2020 to present. Current UCP MLAs
Jason Stephan, MLA for Red Deer-South. Political parties Independence Party of Alberta Republican Party of Alberta Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta Wildrose Loyalty Coalition
Former politicians Rob Anders, MP from 1997 to 2015. Leon Benoit, MP from 1993 to 2015. Derek Fildebrandt, Alberta MLA from 2015 to 2019. Art Hanger, MP from 1993 to 2008. Jay Hill, MP from 1993 to 2010. Allan Kerpan, MP from 1993 to 2000. Eric Lowther, MP from 1997 to 2000. Val Meredith, MP from 1993 to 2004. LaVar Payne, MP from 2008 to 2015.
Groups Alberta Prosperity Project, advocacy group. Cory Morgan, Blogger and former leader of the Independence Party of Alberta from 2000 to 2001.
Remain Current political leaders Peter Guthrie, Leader of the Progressive Tory Party of Alberta from 2025 to present. Naheed Nenshi, Alberta Leader of His Majesty's Official Opposition from 2025 to present. Pierre Poilievre, Federal Leader of His Majesty's Official Opposition from 2022 to present. Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta from 2022 to present.
Current UCP MLAs Tanya Fir, MLA for Calgary-Peigan Nate Glubish, MLA for Strathcona-Sherwood Park Nate Horner, MLA for Drumheller-Stettler Matt Jones, MLA for Calgary-South East Martin Long, MLA for West Yellowhead Myles McDougall, MLA for Calgary-Fish Creek Ric McIver, MLA for Calgary-Hays Nathan Neudorf, MLA for Lethbridge-East Demetrios Nicolaides, MLA for Calgary-Bow Searle Turton, MLA for Spruce Grove-Stony Plain Dan Williams, MLA for Peace River
Current NDP MLAs Brooks Arcand-Paul, MLA for Edmonton-West Henday Diana Batten, MLA for Calgary-Acadia Parmeet Singh Boparai, MLA for Calgary-Falconridge Gurinder Brar, MLA for Calgary-North East Gurtej Singh Brar, MLA for Edmonton-Ellerslie Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse, MLA for Edmonton-Rutherford Amanda Chapman, MLA for Calgary-Beddington Joe Ceci, MLA for Calgary-Buffalo Lorne Dach, MLA for Edmonton-McClung Jasvir Deol, MLA for Edmonton-Meadows David Eggen, MLA for Edmonton-North West Court Ellingson, MLA for Calgary-Foothills Sarah Elmeligi, MLA for Banff-Kananaskis Janet Eremenko, MLA for Calgary-Currie Kathleen Ganley, MLA for Calgary-Mountain View Nicole Goehring, MLA for Edmonton-Castle Downs Christina Gray, MLA for Edmonton-Mill Woods Sharif Haji, MLA for Edmonton-Decore Julia Hayter, MLA for Calgary-Edgemont Sarah Hoffman, MLA for Edmonton-Glenora Rhiannon Hoyle, MLA for Edmonton-South Nathan Ip, MLA for Edmonton-South West Janis Irwin, MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood Kyle Kasawski, MLA for Sherwood Park Samir Kayande, MLA for Calgary-Elbow Luanne Metz, MLA for Calgary-Varsity Rob Miyashiro, MLA for Lethbridge-West Rakhi Pancholi, MLA for Edmonton-Whitemud Marie Renaud, MLA for St. Albert Irfan Sabir, MLA for Calgary-Bhullar-McCall Marlin Schmidt, MLA for Edmonton-Gold Bar David Shepherd, MLA for Edmonton-City Centre Lori Sigurdson, MLA for Edmonton-Riverview Heather Sweet, MLA for Edmonton-Manning Lizette Tejada, MLA for Calgary-Klein Peggy Wright, MLA for Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview Kyle Campbell, MLA for Calgary-Shaw
Members of Parliament Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative MP for Edmonton Manning John Barlow, Conservative MP for Foothills Michael Cooper, Conservative MP for St. Albert—Sturgeon River Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative MP for Calgary Forest Lawn Corey Hogan, Liberal MP for Calgary Confederation Matt Jeneroux, Liberal MP for Edmonton Riverbend Pat Kelly, MP for Calgary Crowfoot Tom Kmiec, Conservative MP for Calgary Shepard Stephanie Kusie, Conservative MP for Calgary Midnapore Dane Lloyd, Conservative MP for Parkland Kelly McCauley, Conservative MP for Edmonton West David McKenzie, Conservative MP for Calgary Signal Hill Greg McLean, Conservative MP for Calgary Centre Billy Morin, Conservative MP for Edmonton Northwest Heather McPherson, NDP MP for Edmonton Strathcona Eleanor Olszewski, Liberal MP for Edmonton Centre Arnold Viersen, Conservative MP for Peace River—Westlock
Senators Paula Simons, Alberta Senator
Municipal politicians Jeromy Farkas, Mayor of Calgary Andrew Knack, Mayor of Edmonton Cindy Jefferies, Mayor of Red Deer
Former politicians Jim Dinning, Alberta MLA from 1986 to 1997. Iris Evans, Alberta MLA from 1997 to 2012. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. Don Iveson, Mayor of Edmonton from 2013 to 2021. Jason Kenney, Premier of Alberta from 2019 to 2022. Damien Kurek, Federal MP from 2019 to 2025. Thomas Lukaszuk, Deputy Premier of Alberta from 2012 to 2013. Anne McLellan, Deputy Prime Minister of Canada from 2003 to 2006. Shirley McClellan, Deputy Premier of Alberta from 2001 to 2006. Ian McClelland, Federal MP from 1993 to 2000. Karen McPherson, Alberta MLA from 2015 to 2019. Barry Morishita, Mayor of Brooks from 2016 to 2021. Rachel Notley, Premier of Alberta from 2015 to 2019. Mary O'Neill, Alberta MLA from 1997 to 2004. Shannon Phillips, Minister of Environment and Parks of Alberta from 2015 to 2019. Monte Solberg, Federal MP from 1993 to 2008. Amarjeet Sohi, Mayor of Edmonton from 2021 to 2025. Chris Spearman, Mayor of Lethbridge from 2013 to 2021. Richard Starke, Alberta Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation from 2013 to 2014. Ed Stelmach, Premier of Alberta from 2006 to 2011. Travis Toews, Minister of Finance of Alberta from 2019 to 2023. Steve West, Alberta MLA from 1986 to 2001.
Political parties Alberta Liberal Party Alberta New Democratic Party Conservative Party of Canada
Groups Alberta Federation of Labour, Trade union. Edmonton City Council Pembina Institute, Think tank. United Nurses of Alberta, Trade union.
Prominent individuals Arlene Dickinson, Businesswoman. Andrew Leach, Economist. Nancy Southern, CEO of ATCO.
See also 1980 Quebec referendum 1995 Quebec referendum 2025 Canadian federal election in Alberta 2026 Canadian electoral calendar Alberta separatism Politics of Alberta Western alienation 2026 Quebec general election
Notes
References