Alberta premier sets date for referendum for province to separate from Canada

Published May 22, 2026 8:15am ET | Updated May 22, 2026 8:15am ET



Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on Thursday set the date for a referendum deciding whether the province will move to separate from Canada.

The provincial vote is scheduled to take place on Oct. 19, and will mark the first time in Canadian history that a province other than Quebec has put the question of separation to the public. If residents greenlight the measure, it will trigger the legal process for Canada’s fourth most populous province to hold a second binding vote on separation at a later date.

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