Alberta’s New Referendum Rules Stoke Independence Debate

As Canadians mark the country’s 158th birthday, Alberta is preparing for a political milestone of its own just days later. On July 4, Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative government will enact new rules that make it easier for citizens to initiate provincewide referendums — including on Alberta’s potential separation from Canada.
The changes, part of Smith’s push to expand direct democracy, lower the number of signatures required to launch a referendum petition. The move is already fuelling momentum — and controversy — among groups with competing visions for Alberta’s future.
Leading the separatist charge is the Alberta Prosperity Project (APP), a non-profit group advocating for an independent Alberta. Mitch Sylvestre, APP’s CEO, confirmed his group will file paperwork with Elections Alberta on Friday to begin collecting signatures. The APP aims to gather 177,000 names within 120 days to put this question to voters: “Do you agree the province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province of Canada?”
Sylvestre said he believes the time is ripe for Albertans to consider separation. “If that referendum was held right now, I wouldn’t be surprised if we could possibly even win it,” Sylvestre shared with the press, citing widespread frustration over federal policies that, in his view, drain Alberta’s wealth and stifle its industries.
At the same time, former Alberta deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk [now out of politics] is working to block the separatist push. Lukaszuk has already applied to start a petition under the old rules, which require 600,000 signatures in 90 days. His goal is to have Alberta formally reaffirm its place within Canada.
“There can only be one petition at a time on the same issue,” Lukaszuk said, noting that his effort could preclude APP’s bid. He admitted his threshold is high but said he’s confident Albertans will stand for unity.
Elections Alberta said it will process petitions in the order they are received but did not comment on specific applications.
Legal experts warn that a vote on secession would plunge Canada into uncharted territory, triggering complex negotiations with Ottawa and First Nations. Recent polls suggest support for Alberta separation remains below majority levels, but Sylvestre insists interest is growing.
Smith, while advocating for Alberta to be “sovereign within a united Canada,” has distanced herself from outright separation talk. Instead, she blames Ottawa’s policies — including proposed emissions caps, a tanker ban, and net-zero regulations — for fuelling separatist sentiment. “This is really in Ottawa’s hands,” Smith said.
Lukaszuk, however, calls the sovereignty language hollow. “It’s like me saying, ‘I am single within the confines of my marriage,’” he quipped. He warned the referendum law could open the door to unpredictable ballot questions that might backfire on the province.
With both sides gearing up, Alberta could soon find itself at the centre of a national debate over its place in Confederation — and the future of direct democracy in Canada.