Correction: Higher hurdle for independence vote

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Vauxhall Advance

A recent report by Southern Alberta Newspapers provided an unclear picture of the requirements to proceed with a “independence referendum” in the Alberta.

Alberta election laws allow citizen-led initiatives to proceed on to a ballot if they meet specific criteria, but the standards are different for different types of questions.

In the case of a question of Alberta leaving Canada, as examined in an article last month looking at former MP LaVar Payne’s position, the numbers on a petition would require twice the number of signatures as cited in the articles.

For general issue of provincial law or policy, a successful petition would require signatures of 10 per cent of registered voters, or about 297,000.

For an issue requiring Alberta to seek a Constitutional amendment – such as leaving Confederation – the standard rises to 20 per cent of certified voters, or 594,000 signatures.

Petitioners have 90 days after registering to secure the signatures, and must show the support of 20 per cent of voters or more in at least two-thirds of Alberta’s 87 electoral ridings.

Southern Alberta Newspapers regrets the error.