Elections Alberta Approves Citizen-Led Petition Calling for Referendum on Province Leaving Canada

Maycee Holmes (L) and Madison Holmes, who support Alberta separating from Canada, in Calgary on July 12, 2026. The Canadian Press/Dayne PattersonElections Alberta says it has validated a citizen-led petition seeking a vote on whether the province should separate from Canada, but the initiative remains on hold as its legality is contested in court.Nearly 223,000 signatures have been verified, far exceeding the 177,732 signatures required for the petition to be considered successful, according to Elections Alberta. The agency noted that the verified total amounts to approximately 7.5 percent of Alberta’s estimated 2.97 million registered electors.The validation follows an earlier overturning of the petition moving forward in May, in which Justice Shaina Leonard of the Alberta Court of King’s Bench ruled that the province hadn’t fulfilled its duty to fully consult First Nations about how separation could impact their treaty rights.Petition proponent Mitch Sylvestre and Stay Free Alberta appealed Leonard’s May 13 ruling quashing Elections Alberta’s approval of the petition. On June 29, the Alberta Court of Appeal granted the group a partial stay of Leonard’s ruling.The stay allowed Elections Alberta to verify and report the signatures while the appeal of Leonard’s ruling proceeds, with the agency noting that verification was conducted between July 6 and July 23.However, the petition can’t advance any further until the appeal is resolved and no decision deadline for the appeal has been publicly announced.As the citizen-led petition remains pending following resolution of the appeal, Alberta is scheduled to hold a province-wide series of referendum questions on Oct. 19, including questions about provincial authority over immigration, and Alberta’s rights in relation to Ottawa.The referendum will also include a question on whether the province should stay in Canada or begin the process to hold a legally binding vote on whether or not to separate from Canada.The official wording of the Oct. 19 ballot was confirmed May 28, and the province noted that mail-in voting will not be allowed. Results will be non-binding, although Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said she will respect whatever voters decide.