Alberta residents have made their decision in the highly debated referendum on whether to stay within Canada or proceed with a second referendum for separation. The CBC News Decision Desk has projected a victory for the “remain” side in the Alberta referendum.
The referendum included ten questions, one of which focused on independence. Results for this specific question were delayed due to a polling station in the Cardston-Siksika riding remaining open longer than expected. Apart from the independence query, five questions centered on immigration, while four proposed constitutional changes are still being tallied by election officials.
Polls indicated that a majority of Albertans favored remaining part of Canada, with sentiments on separation being deeply entrenched over the years. The inclusion of the independence question in the ballot was a response to citizen petitions, according to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.
Throughout the campaign, advocates for independence argued that Alberta has faced neglect from Ottawa and that federal environmental policies have hindered the oil and gas sector. On the other hand, proponents of maintaining unity warned of significant economic risks if Alberta were to separate from Canada.
Despite facing backlash from separatists for her pro-unity stance, the premier emphasized her commitment to Alberta remaining within Canada. Voter turnout for the referendum was expected to be high, with early voting seeing significant engagement from over 1.3 million Albertans. However, delays in releasing results occurred due to some polling stations failing to open on time, with the final results pending the closure of all stations.