Albertans vote to stay in Canada in October 19 referendum

Albertans voted to remain in Canada, turning down a separatist effort to pursue a permanent break from the country, according to The Globe and Mail. The vote was held on October 19, 2026.

The preliminary count from Elections Alberta, the province's election body, put roughly 75 per cent of voters on the side of staying in Canada. About 25 per cent voted for a binding referendum. The agency said the results reported during the count are subject to verification and are not final until official results are published on October 29, 2026.

The ballot had ten questions in total. The first asked whether Alberta should remain in Canada or begin the legal process toward separation. The other nine dealt with a range of issues, many of them focused on immigration.

Prime Minister Mark Carney called the result "a great day for Canada" and said he was thrilled that Albertans chose unity. He said he had spoken with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith about moving forward in the spirit of co-operative federalism, including on immigration.

Smith, who had pledged to honour the "remain" vote, gave a televised address after the referendum. She recognized the frustrations of those who voted to separate and urged them to believe in Canada again, CBC News reported.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre commented on the other nine questions, many of which focused on immigration. He called for cutting off "deluxe benefits" for non-permanent residents.

Separatists said after the vote that they are not going anywhere. Smith is scheduled to face her own party members at the United Conservative Party annual general meeting next month.

Before the vote, the Government of Alberta published a final report from an advisory panel on the potential impacts of separation. The province's referendum was set by two orders in council, the cabinet decisions that give legal effect to government action, approved on March 31, 2026.