Alberta Flag (Image Credit: Dreamstime)

By Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press

Provincial Politics

Alberta separatists say they’ve collected enough signatures to trigger a referendum

Mar 31, 2026 | 2:34 PM

Two Alberta separatists say their group has collected enough signatures from citizens to trigger a referendum on the province quitting Canada.

Mitch Sylvestre says the group named Stay Free Alberta — has collected well over the approximate 178,000-signature threshold.

They still have another month to go before they must deliver the names to Elections Alberta for verification, but Jeffrey Rath, the general counsel for the group, says they want to announce their success now.

Rath says they want to boost the spirit of canvassers, who will still continue to gather names in the weeks to come.

He says the name-gatherers have been getting harassed in person and online, with one getting spit on.

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Premier Danielle Smith has said she will move forward with a provincewide referendum if the required number of signatures are gathered and verified.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 31, 2026.