Alberta separatist group says it has enough signatures to trigger
referendum on leaving Canada
[May 05, 2026]
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Alberta separatists said Monday they have
formally submitted almost 302,000 signatures to try to trigger a
referendum on the province leaving Canada.
The group needed 178,000 signatures to force the province to consider
such a vote.
The question of separation could go on a provincewide ballot as early as
October, as Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said she would move
forward if enough names are gathered and verified. Smith has said she
personally does not support the oil-rich province leaving Canada.
A “yes” vote would not trigger independence automatically. Negotiations
with the federal government would have to take place and Daniel Béland,
a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal, said
some Indigenous groups who are already using the courts to prevent an
independence referendum would use venues including the courts to stop
independence from happening.
Mitch Sylvestre, the head of Stay Free Alberta, arrived at the Elections
Alberta office in Edmonton on Monday leading a convoy of seven trucks to
deliver the names.
“This day is historic in Alberta history,” Sylvestre said. “It’s the
first step to the next step — we’ve gotten by Round 3 and now we’re in
the Stanley Cup final.”
He said most papers were handled five times to verify the signatures.
More than 300 supporters gathered, waving the provincial flag and
chanting “Alberta strong.”
However, the petition could face another hurdle this week as an
Edmonton, Alberta, judge is expected to rule on a court challenge
launched by a group of Alberta First Nations who say Alberta separation
would violate treaty rights.
Smith has accused previous federal Liberal governments of introducing
legislation that hamstrings Alberta’s ability to produce and export oil,
which she said has cost the province billions of dollars. She also said
she doesn’t want the federal government meddling in provincial issues.
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Supporters carry boxes of signatures to submit for a separation
referendum to Elections Alberta in Edmonton, on Monday, May 4, 2026.
(Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Prime Minister Mark Carney's federal government did not immediately
respond to the development.
Béland, the political science professor at McGill, said a referendum
is likely to lose.
“Right now, support for independence in Alberta is rather low. Less
than 30% and much lower if we only focus on hard core supporters.
And the odds of a victory of the pro-independence camp appear to be
low at this stage," he said.
Béland also said considering recent news of a large data breach
involving an Alberta separatist group, the formal verification
process is especially crucial to make sure the signatures are
authentic.
“Mark Carney is indeed popular, even in Alberta. The push for
independence by some Albertans predates his prime ministership and
it’s related to economic, fiscal, and political grievances about the
seemingly unfair treatment of Alberta by the federal government," he
said. “These concerns increased during the Justin Trudeau years but
they have peaked and even declined since he left office.”
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Associated Press writer Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this
report.
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