May 22, 2026, 10:38 p.mMay 22, 2026, 10:38 p.m
The residents of the oil-rich province of Alberta are to hold a referendum to decide on a possible path towards secession from Canada, which a minority has repeatedly called for. The vote should take place on October 19, said the province’s premier, Danielle Smith, in a televised address. The residents will be able to vote on whether their province should remain part of Canada or whether a process should be initiated that leads to a legally binding further referendum on secession.
The province with around five million inhabitants is located in the west of the world’s second largest country and is particularly popular with tourists for its national parks in the Rocky Mountains. A movement calling for secession from Canada for cultural and economic reasons, among other things, has been around for a long time in the province, which is considered to be very conservative – although, according to surveys, it still represents a minority. Some representatives of the oil industry, for example, feel restricted by environmental regulations.
Support for the movement has already come from the US government of US President Donald Trump. Alberta Prime Minister Smith as well as both of the country’s major political parties and Prime Minister Mark Carney have already spoken out clearly against secession. (sda/dpa)