A view of the Syncrude refinery at the Mildred Lake facility in Wood Buffalo, Alberta, Canada, on May 5, 2026. The facility has the capacity to convert bitumen to synthetic crude oil and has a processing capacity of 350,000 barrels per day.
Daphne Lemelin | AFP | Getty Images
Alberta Premier Daniel Smith announced plans for the oil-rich province to hold a non-binding vote in the fall on whether residents want to remain part of Canada or move forward with a second binding vote on secession.
The move marks the first time in Canadian history that a province other than Quebec has raised the issue of secession with the public and comes after months of campaigning by secessionist groups.
Alberta’s Mr. Smith said in a televised address Thursday night that he supports remaining in Canada and will vote that way in the provincial referendum.
“However, even though I personally support remaining in Canada, I am deeply troubled by the wrongful court decision that impedes the democratic rights of hundreds of thousands of Albertans,” Smith said.
An Alberta judge had previously rejected a petition for the province to secede from Canada.
Supporters of the citizen-led group Stay Free Alberta say they have collected more than 301,000 signatures in support of their campaign, driven in part by the belief that the province has long been ignored by decision-makers in Ottawa.
But polls show that Alberta’s separatism lacks broad appeal. A separate petition calling for the province to remain in Canada has garnered more than 404,000 signatures.
Alberta Premier Daniel Smith speaks at the “Alberta Next: Energy” event on Thursday, May 21, 2026 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
“Kicking the can only prolongs a very emotional and important debate, and silencing the voices of hundreds of thousands of Albertans who want to be heard is unjust in a free and democratic society,” Smith said.
“Now is the time to vote, understand the will of Albertans on this issue, and move on,” she added.
A provincial referendum scheduled for October 19 will ask Albertans: “Should Alberta remain a Canadian province, or should the Alberta government begin the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether Alberta should secede from Canada?”
Alberta is Canada’s fourth most populous province, with an estimated population of approximately 5 million people.
The province is famous for its oil sands, which contribute significantly to Alberta’s and Canada’s economies.
Proved reserves in Alberta’s oil sands are equivalent to approximately 158.9 billion barrels of oil, making the province the fourth largest in the world after Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
