Official signature collection will begin in 2026 for a constitutional referendum to determine whether Alberta should remain part of Canada or become an independent state.
If Alberta separated, it wouldn't inherit that web of cooperation—it would be a politically isolated entity that just spent years in a bitter divorce with the very neighbors who control its sea access. The "policy locked" frustration is valid, but separation doesn't force BC or Quebec to become less obstructionist; it removes the constitutional and federal levers that currently exist to override their obstruction.
Here’s what Alberta would actually lose in trade deals:
1. Gravity and Geography: As an independent nation of under 5 million people , Alberta walks into trade negotiations with the economic gravity of a puddle, not a wave. It loses the G7 heft of Canada, a nation of 40 million, to dictate agricultural terms, inspections, and embargo-busting trade missions. Example, Kazakhstan —they didn't just wish for pipelines; they navigated hostile neighbors by playing the global non-alignment game while owning the Caspian fields. Alberta's oil is landlocked inside a North American market that already holds all the leverage.
2. The Instant Trade Border: The pro-independence argument assumes Alberta takes its current seamless interprovincial trade with it. It doesn't. The moment the border goes up, the mutual recognition of goods stops. Economist Trevor Tombe estimates that in 2022, over 300,000 Albertan jobs depended on exports to the rest of Canada—more than depended on trade with the United States. Nationally, nearly 800,000 jobs rely on this back-and-forth, and a modest 15% drop in this trade volume could put roughly 120,000 of those at risk. The province doesn't float away on a bubble of oil; it severs a $140-billion GDP lifeline.
3. Fresh Ink on 150+ Deals: An independent Alberta doesn't get to inherit Canada's trade agreements. It has to start from scratch. The United Kingdom's experience with Brexit showed this is a brutal bureaucratic slog, a heap of non-tariff barriers, and a punishing timeline. Every farm product, manufactured part, and loan of capital would face a new, untested legal regime. Investor confidence doesn't wait for that to be sorted—it migrates to jurisdictions with "stability" stamped on the door.
The suggestion that Alberta can just hook up with Montana and Idaho to ship through Seattle ignores that Washington State and the U.S. federal government would be the ones holding the map and the stopwatch in that negotiation. The choice isn't between being "policy locked" and "free"—it's between a confederation where you have a seat at the table to hammer out agreements like the recent Canadian Mutual Recognition Agreement and a separation that washes away your continental trade terms overnight, just so you can start over with a much smaller bargaining chip.
I live in BC, the most tyrannical province of all of them. Pretty much one of the worst places to be in the world right now for the global agenda being forced upon us. I fully support Alberta being independent. All our government does is steal our money and as of late, give it to the Ukraine. More people need to wake up. Canadians are so complacent.
Yes! Absolutely! Alberta and the other western provinces and the northern territories should and must push hard for western separation and independence. Enough of the eastern abuses, tyranny, oppression, aggressions, greed and improper representations, and now the time has come to break away and be on our won to make our own way in the world and be prosperous, strong and free..! Happy New (2026) Year one and all..! Feel the Joy..!
Yes, only province with its house in order and willing to tell their citizens the truth about this country canada.... it no longer deserves a capital and its voters need to stop listening to CTV, CBC and Global misinformation propagandists.
Yes, Why not? At the rate of the demise of the free Canadian state, it may be better for them to secede. Alberta seems to have its finances under control and its leadership in order. I do live near the Canadian border however that is in the Northeast and Quebec is a totally different animal. if they want to secede, I say 'go for it'!!
yeah the usa was a free nation until u guys decide to let donald trump do as he please's, don't you think it's obvious enough on capitol hill, the day joe biden was to be innogerated he had a riot started and didn't serve anytime for that... also birth rights on this soil, he's taken away, personally targeting the latino community. Besides the fact he was on trial before being elected as the Republican party nominee... he still had court to face.. The gov't is crooked all due to this man and's it's showing it at it's finest time in america.. They have alot to report for and alot of respect to show us with our next president in line.. If the next president doesnt' remove almost everything Trump has put into play.. i might riot myself, no that is a joke... !! but i might leave this country and live abroad...
There should be another choice. As a 3 year resident of Alberta, I am not in favor of AB going it alone. Nor of us joining USA. We need the WEST to unite and form a new constitution!! As a former councillor and lifelong resident of B.C., it's my observation that people of B.C. (perhaps excepting those in the lower mainland) have always felt alienated from Canada, Ottawa, and the eastern peoples, because our votes have never counted. This has to change, for B.C. as well. Include Sask and MB if they are so inclined.
I have wonderful relatives in Canada, however Canada was always merely a revenue + cannon fodder for Britain, like Cuba & Greenland Canada should bea part the USA...!
in my opinion they don`t need approval from the fed. gov. they can leave any time they wish and any one likely liberals do not agree they can move out. Reform the provincial gov. as well the days of steeling money from the people is coming to a end .
I'm not a Canadian citizen. However, the people of any region or state should be free to decide whether to be independent or governed by empirical powers. Worldly empires, such as The Crown which governs Canada, always end up corrupt and collapse. It would be wise for the people of Alberta to take on the responsibility of governing themselves. This may well be a move that prepares Albertans better and more nimble to deal with a changing world. Cast off the old and heavy shackles of British Empire rule, which is well past it's use-by date. GO FOR FREEDOM, SELF-GOVERNANCE & RESPONSIBILITY.
At my age I might not live to see it ,so my 2 cents worth :if Alberta becomes independent and sovereign ,the next step will be to become part of the US ,for shear capital reasons .The prospects of having a pipeline across Canada ,from coast to coast ,will possibly become more problematic .
The North West Territories will most likely remain part of Canada and the Bearing Straight connection of the Eurasian and North American continent will also be more problematic as it will entail another factor for negotiations ,i.e. Alberta for transport of goods transcontinental ,North South and East West . Alberta might be pissed at Eastern Canada for so much neglect ,for so long ,but in my view ,they are underestimating the new problems that will ensue due to this "go it alone" tactic . I have family in Alberta and I know it will not affect our relationship ,I just hope that the referendum voters thoroughly study the long and short ,the good and the bad ,of the results they are voting on .Breaking up Canada will have repercussions that most can't foresee IMHO.
If So Do You Recognize Your Own Bias Regarding Double Standards Regarding Equalization Payments?
Albertans Are Done Paying For Quebecois Baby Birth Incentives, While Your Hydro-Electric To The Tune Of 5 Billion Annually Is Not Counted Toward Your Income, Albertan's Are Done With Hypocrisy, Double Standards & Grift From Other Provinces.
What If Alberta Separated?
If Alberta separated, it wouldn't inherit that web of cooperation—it would be a politically isolated entity that just spent years in a bitter divorce with the very neighbors who control its sea access. The "policy locked" frustration is valid, but separation doesn't force BC or Quebec to become less obstructionist; it removes the constitutional and federal levers that currently exist to override their obstruction.
Here’s what Alberta would actually lose in trade deals:
1. Gravity and Geography: As an independent nation of under 5 million people , Alberta walks into trade negotiations with the economic gravity of a puddle, not a wave. It loses the G7 heft of Canada, a nation of 40 million, to dictate agricultural terms, inspections, and embargo-busting trade missions. Example, Kazakhstan —they didn't just wish for pipelines; they navigated hostile neighbors by playing the global non-alignment game while owning the Caspian fields. Alberta's oil is landlocked inside a North American market that already holds all the leverage.
2. The Instant Trade Border: The pro-independence argument assumes Alberta takes its current seamless interprovincial trade with it. It doesn't. The moment the border goes up, the mutual recognition of goods stops. Economist Trevor Tombe estimates that in 2022, over 300,000 Albertan jobs depended on exports to the rest of Canada—more than depended on trade with the United States. Nationally, nearly 800,000 jobs rely on this back-and-forth, and a modest 15% drop in this trade volume could put roughly 120,000 of those at risk. The province doesn't float away on a bubble of oil; it severs a $140-billion GDP lifeline.
3. Fresh Ink on 150+ Deals: An independent Alberta doesn't get to inherit Canada's trade agreements. It has to start from scratch. The United Kingdom's experience with Brexit showed this is a brutal bureaucratic slog, a heap of non-tariff barriers, and a punishing timeline. Every farm product, manufactured part, and loan of capital would face a new, untested legal regime. Investor confidence doesn't wait for that to be sorted—it migrates to jurisdictions with "stability" stamped on the door.
The suggestion that Alberta can just hook up with Montana and Idaho to ship through Seattle ignores that Washington State and the U.S. federal government would be the ones holding the map and the stopwatch in that negotiation. The choice isn't between being "policy locked" and "free"—it's between a confederation where you have a seat at the table to hammer out agreements like the recent Canadian Mutual Recognition Agreement and a separation that washes away your continental trade terms overnight, just so you can start over with a much smaller bargaining chip.
Smith is just part of da familia... check out her lineage...
I live in BC, the most tyrannical province of all of them. Pretty much one of the worst places to be in the world right now for the global agenda being forced upon us. I fully support Alberta being independent. All our government does is steal our money and as of late, give it to the Ukraine. More people need to wake up. Canadians are so complacent.
Yes! Absolutely! Alberta and the other western provinces and the northern territories should and must push hard for western separation and independence. Enough of the eastern abuses, tyranny, oppression, aggressions, greed and improper representations, and now the time has come to break away and be on our won to make our own way in the world and be prosperous, strong and free..! Happy New (2026) Year one and all..! Feel the Joy..!
Yes, only province with its house in order and willing to tell their citizens the truth about this country canada.... it no longer deserves a capital and its voters need to stop listening to CTV, CBC and Global misinformation propagandists.
Alberta has already chosen sovereign independent status
Yes, Why not? At the rate of the demise of the free Canadian state, it may be better for them to secede. Alberta seems to have its finances under control and its leadership in order. I do live near the Canadian border however that is in the Northeast and Quebec is a totally different animal. if they want to secede, I say 'go for it'!!
yeah the usa was a free nation until u guys decide to let donald trump do as he please's, don't you think it's obvious enough on capitol hill, the day joe biden was to be innogerated he had a riot started and didn't serve anytime for that... also birth rights on this soil, he's taken away, personally targeting the latino community. Besides the fact he was on trial before being elected as the Republican party nominee... he still had court to face.. The gov't is crooked all due to this man and's it's showing it at it's finest time in america.. They have alot to report for and alot of respect to show us with our next president in line.. If the next president doesnt' remove almost everything Trump has put into play.. i might riot myself, no that is a joke... !! but i might leave this country and live abroad...
There should be another choice. As a 3 year resident of Alberta, I am not in favor of AB going it alone. Nor of us joining USA. We need the WEST to unite and form a new constitution!! As a former councillor and lifelong resident of B.C., it's my observation that people of B.C. (perhaps excepting those in the lower mainland) have always felt alienated from Canada, Ottawa, and the eastern peoples, because our votes have never counted. This has to change, for B.C. as well. Include Sask and MB if they are so inclined.
I have wonderful relatives in Canada, however Canada was always merely a revenue + cannon fodder for Britain, like Cuba & Greenland Canada should bea part the USA...!
IF THAT IS THE WILL PF THE PEOPLE YES DO IT
Federal, Provincial, Regional, City, Town... aren't they all corporations, anyway?
in my opinion they don`t need approval from the fed. gov. they can leave any time they wish and any one likely liberals do not agree they can move out. Reform the provincial gov. as well the days of steeling money from the people is coming to a end .
I'm not a Canadian citizen. However, the people of any region or state should be free to decide whether to be independent or governed by empirical powers. Worldly empires, such as The Crown which governs Canada, always end up corrupt and collapse. It would be wise for the people of Alberta to take on the responsibility of governing themselves. This may well be a move that prepares Albertans better and more nimble to deal with a changing world. Cast off the old and heavy shackles of British Empire rule, which is well past it's use-by date. GO FOR FREEDOM, SELF-GOVERNANCE & RESPONSIBILITY.
Since gvmnt has changed from care to control, this might be a good idea and model for states like CA, that has also been bullied.
At my age I might not live to see it ,so my 2 cents worth :if Alberta becomes independent and sovereign ,the next step will be to become part of the US ,for shear capital reasons .The prospects of having a pipeline across Canada ,from coast to coast ,will possibly become more problematic .
The North West Territories will most likely remain part of Canada and the Bearing Straight connection of the Eurasian and North American continent will also be more problematic as it will entail another factor for negotiations ,i.e. Alberta for transport of goods transcontinental ,North South and East West . Alberta might be pissed at Eastern Canada for so much neglect ,for so long ,but in my view ,they are underestimating the new problems that will ensue due to this "go it alone" tactic . I have family in Alberta and I know it will not affect our relationship ,I just hope that the referendum voters thoroughly study the long and short ,the good and the bad ,of the results they are voting on .Breaking up Canada will have repercussions that most can't foresee IMHO.
Guy St. Hilaire Do You Live In Quebec?
If So Do You Recognize Your Own Bias Regarding Double Standards Regarding Equalization Payments?
Albertans Are Done Paying For Quebecois Baby Birth Incentives, While Your Hydro-Electric To The Tune Of 5 Billion Annually Is Not Counted Toward Your Income, Albertan's Are Done With Hypocrisy, Double Standards & Grift From Other Provinces.
Manitoba .