Poll shows Albertans warming to independence

A new poll shows that 31% of respondents would vote in favour of Alberta's independence, with individuals age 18-34 offering the greatest support for the independence movement, according to Research Co. As Mitch Sylvestre and his Alberta Prosperity Project begin collecting signatures on a petition calling on the province to hold a referendum on Alberta's independence, a Research Co. poll offers a glimpse of what the province could see if a vote were held today. The poll, conducted from Jan. 4 through 6, revealed that while 17% of respondents strongly support independence, 49% strongly opposed it. .Respondents' overall support for Alberta's independence rose nine percentage points compared with a similar poll conducted by Research Co. in 2023."By a 2-to-1 margin, Albertans currently express a desire to remain in Canada,” said Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Still, the growth of separatist sentiment is significant across some groups.”Respondents aged 18 to 34 were most likely to support independence, with 42% in favour, compared with 27% and 25% among those aged 35 to 54 and 55+, respectively..Rural Alberta had the highest level of support among respondents, with 34% supporting the movement, while 31% in Calgary and 29% in Edmonton were pro-independence.The poll showed something seen following the UCP AGM in December: party supporters are split on whether they support Alberta independence. Results from the survey showed that 40% of respondents who voted for the UCP in the 2023 provincial election would likewise vote in favour of Alberta independence, compared with 56% who said they would be against it. NDP supporters are more united on this issue: 85% of respondents who voted for the party in the 2023 election do not support Alberta becoming an independent country. .Thursday's poll release comes after Sylvestre's group kicked off its signature-collection phase with events in Water Valley on Tuesday and in Didsbury on Wednesday. The petition will need to garner at least 177,732 verified signatures from Albertans to trigger a referendum that many are speculating could be held in the Fall. Sylvestre's referendum would ask, “Do you agree that the Province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?”.Conversely, there is already a debate over whether Albertans will vote in a prior referendum on a similar topic.Former Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk has already had signatures validated, and a petition has passed calling for a referendum asking: "Do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?"Lukaszuk has since stated that he does not want to hold a referendum on the topic.Danielle Smith's government has yet to rule on whether or not Lukaszuk's petition will lead to a referendum on his proposed question.

Poll shows Albertans warming to independence

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