Unofficial results as of 1:45 p.m. MDT, Oct. 20, 2026.
Premier Danielle Smith will address Albertans Tuesday evening after preliminary referendum results showed about three-quarters of votes counted favoured keeping the province in Canada.
The stay-in-Canada option had 1,437,433 votes, or 75.3 per cent, according to unofficial results, with 87 per cent of polls reported.
The option to begin the constitutional process toward a binding separation referendum had 472,749 votes, or 24.7 per cent.
More than 1.9 million valid votes had been counted on the question, giving the stay-in-Canada option a lead of nearly 965,000 votes.
Monday’s separation question asked voters to choose between Alberta staying in Canada and beginning the legal process required to hold a future binding referendum on separation.
Smith’s address to the province is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. MDT.
“Albertans have voted for a stronger Alberta in a united Canada,” Smith said in a post on X.
Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi posted a brief response.
“Thank you! We saved Canada. Now, we save Alberta.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also welcomed the outcome.
“Albertans have decisively voted for a stronger Alberta within a united Canada. The promise of Canada is worth fighting for,” he said in a post on X.
Prime Minister Mark Carney described the vote as a choice for unity.
“Above all, Albertans chose Canada,” he said in a statement posted on X.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe welcomed the result and pledged to work with Alberta to strengthen both provinces within Canada. He also called for improvements in how Ottawa treats Western Canada.
Voters mostly said ‘yes’ to ‘the nine’
Across the other nine questions, ‘yes’ led on eight Tuesday afternoon.
Requiring proof of Canadian citizenship to vote in provincial elections had the strongest support, at 63.8 per cent.
Increased provincial control over immigration had 54.3 per cent support. Restricting eligibility for provincially funded programs to Canadian citizens, permanent residents and people with Alberta-approved immigration status had 55.4 per cent support.
A 12-month residency requirement for people with non-permanent legal immigration status to access provincial social supports had 57.8 per cent support.
Charging people with non-permanent immigration status fees or premiums for health care and education had 57.4 per cent support.
The waiting-period and fee questions assume Canadian citizens and permanent residents would retain their existing eligibility for the affected programs.
Support for pursuing constitutional changes to allow provincial selection of judges of the Court of King’s Bench and Court of Appeal stood at 51.9 per cent.
Abolishing the Senate had 53.7 per cent support. Giving provincial laws priority over conflicting federal laws in provincial or shared areas of jurisdiction had 51 per cent support.
‘No’ led on allowing provinces to opt out of federal programs without losing associated federal funding, with 50.7 per cent opposed and 49.3 per cent in favour.
The results are unofficial. Elections Alberta lists Oct. 29 as the date for official results.
