Alberta Sees Large Turnout for Petition to Separate From Canada
22nd January 2026
Crowds of Canadian citizens stood in long lines across Alberta for hours this week to sign a petition for a referendum on leaving Canada – officially titled “A Referendum Relating to Alberta Independence.” The petition requires at least 177,000 signatures in order to trigger the referendum, which would ultimately decide if the province will separate.
Petitions have 120 days to collect the signatures needed. Pro-separation groups say they could get as many as 1 million signatures, which would be a clear indication that Alberta will leave Canada. Alberta’s population is currently 5 million people.
Some petition locations reported as many as 10,000 signatures in a day and the public response is described as “concerning” by critics who want to remain part of Canada’s “constitutional monarchy.” Alberta is widely considered the most conservative province in the country and has been at odds with the far-left Canadian government (ruled by Ontario progressives).