Alberta voters have chosen to remain part of Canada, rejecting a proposal to begin the province’s separation process, according to CBC News projections. Preliminary referendum results showed that 76 per cent supported staying in Canada, while 24 per cent favoured holding a binding vote on independence.
Premier Danielle Smith and Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the outcome. However, two prominent separatist figures said they would wait for the complete results before making final assessments.
Meanwhile, results from the remaining nine referendum questions, which focus on immigration and constitutional matters, remain relatively close, with most currently favouring “Yes.” Smith had previously stated that victories on these questions would provide her with a mandate to negotiate with Carney.
Smith is scheduled to address Albertans at 6:45 p.m. Mountain Time on Tuesday to discuss the province’s next steps. CBC News continues to provide live updates, interviews and analysis as the remaining results are counted.
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