EDMONTON – Alberta's electoral agency has officially launched the process for a referendum aimed at determining whether the province should leave Canada to become an independent state. On January 2, 2026, Elections Alberta announced that Mitch Sylvestre and the Alberta Prosperity Project have until May 2 to gather nearly 178,000 signatures necessary for the referendum to proceed.
The initiative has been set in motion as Elections Alberta has issued citizen initiative petition signature sheets, allowing proponents to begin collecting support. The agency had previously approved the referendum question, which seeks a simple yes or no response to whether Albertans agree that the province should cease to be part of Canada.
Sylvestre, who serves as a constituency association president for Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party, argued that the province requires a referendum because of ongoing federal government restrictions on oil development and the diminishing prospects for political change in Ottawa. He expressed strong convictions, stating, “I’m convinced that there’s no path forward for Alberta within Confederation,” while indicating dissatisfaction with federal policies affecting the province.
According to Sylvestre, more than 240,000 individuals have expressed their willingness to support the petition, with about 2,000 volunteers currently ready to assist in collecting signatures. While awaiting certification from Elections Alberta, he expressed confidence that additional certified volunteers would soon be ready to contribute to the signature drive.
The approved referendum question mirrors an earlier query that faced legal scrutiny. The initial question asked whether Albertans agreed that the province should become a sovereign country. However, the provincial government’s December changes to the rules governing citizen-initiated referendums allowed Sylvestre to resubmit the question without a fee and eliminated the chief electoral officer's authority to reject proposals on grounds of constitutional validity.
In a ruling by Justice Colin Feasby, the original proposal was deemed unconstitutional due to concerns regarding Charter and treaty rights, specifically that there would be no guarantee that Albertans would retain their federal voting rights or freedom of movement if Alberta were to gain independence. He underscored the necessity of considering such rights in any Constitutional negotiations required for Alberta’s separation from Canada.
On the same day, the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, situated within Treaty 8 territory, announced plans to file a statement of claim against the government of Alberta, Canada, and the chief electoral officer, citing failures to uphold Treaty obligations. Chief Sheldon Sunshine indicated that an injunction would also be sought on Monday to halt the petition process, highlighting potential legal challenges the initiative may face.
The developments surrounding the Alberta referendum reflect rising sentiments for provincial autonomy amid tensions over economic policies and governance. As the deadline for signature collection approaches, the political, legal, and social implications of this initiative continue to unfold, drawing significant public and media attention.
