Voters in Alberta may weigh in on a referendum later this year that would ask if they want the province to leave Canada.

On Monday, Alberta separatists announced that they had officially turned in more than 300,000 signatures in support of putting the referendum on the ballot, surpassing the roughly 178,000 needed for a citizen-led petition. 

The signatures still need to be verified by elections officials—and that process is on hold until a judge issues a decision in a legal challenge to the proposed measure.

The Alberta separatist movement dates back decades, but has gained momentum in the past year, after the Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, won Canada’s federal election.

Here’s what to know about the proposed referendum.

What would the proposed referendum ask voters?

If the proposal is put on Alberta’s ballot, the measure would ask voters the following question: “Do you agree that the Province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?”

Why are separatists pushing to get the referendum on the ballot?

The Alberta Prosperity Project, which supports the province’s independence, said on its website that “sovereignty for Alberta holds the promise of economic prosperity, political empowerment, cultural preservation, greener energy, and an enhanced position on the global stage.”

“By asserting control over its resources, laws, and policies, Alberta can chart a path towards a future that aligns with the aspirations and welfare of its people, ensuring a legacy of prosperity for generations to come,” the group said.

The Conservative Party has a significant edge among registered voters in Alberta, and many residents of the province have expressed their opposition to the federal Liberal government, which has led Canada for about a decade. After the Liberal Party won the 2025 federal election, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Alberta legislature and expressed their desire to separate from Canada.

Many Albertans have slammed the federal Liberal government for blocking pipeline projects and canceling oil and gas projects. The province’s economy is largely driven by its oil and gas extraction, as well as mining and quarrying.

What has the Premier of Alberta said about the proposal?

Last year, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, the leader of the United Conservative Party, said that, if a citizen-led petition gathered the required number of signatures, a referendum on the province’s independence could be placed on the ballot.

“To be clear from the outset, our government will not be putting a vote on separation from Canada on the referendum ballot,” she said at the time. “However, if there is a successful citizen-led referendum petition that is able to gather the requisite number of signatures requesting such a question to be put on a referendum, our government will respect the democratic process and include that question on the 2026 provincial referendum ballot.”

What happens next?

Elections Alberta will need to verify the petition signatures. But that process can’t start until a judge issues a ruling in a legal challenge to the proposal. Filed by First Nations groups in Alberta, the lawsuit argues that the province breaking off from Canada would violate treaty rights.

Depending on the judge’s ruling and pending the signature verification, the proposed referendum could go on the Alberta ballot as soon as October.

What happens if the referendum passes?

Many political experts have said that they think it’s unlikely the referendum will pass even if it does get on the ballot. A poll done for CBC News last month found that only 27% of survey respondents said they would vote in support of splitting from Canada, while 67% said they would vote against the proposal.

“The movement’s been around a long time,” Janet Brown, a pollster whose organization conducted the poll, told CBC. “It’s gotten noisier in recent months, but they don’t seem to be growing their support.”

Even if the referendum were to get on the ballot, and if it were to pass, the province would not immediately become independent. The Alberta Prosperity Project said on its website that the province would begin negotiations with the federal government and Indigenous peoples on the details of separation. Political experts have also said that Indigenous groups would likely file legal challenges against the move.