A new ThinkHQ survey suggests a strong majority of Albertans would support eliminating public funding for independent (private) schools if the issue were put to a referendum. Nearly six-in-ten (59%) of respondents said they would vote to end provincial support for private schools, compared with 26% opposed and 15% undecided. Among decided voters, support rises to 69%, with 31% opposed.The survey comes as the Smith Government has eased requirements for citizen-initiated referenda, a move that critics say opens the door for controversial questions to reach the ballot. One group, Alberta Funds Public Schools, received approval on October 3 to begin collecting signatures to bring a referendum question to voters. The group has until February 11, 2026, to collect the 177,732 signatures required. .The proposed question asks: “Should the Government of Alberta end its current practice of allocating funds to accredited independent (private) schools?”Awareness of the petition is modest, with 28% of respondents saying they are definitely aware of it and another 21% recalling something about it. Awareness tends to be higher among NDP voters, those with children under 18, and those with higher education levels.Support for ending public funding is strongest in Edmonton and Southern Alberta and is higher among women, higher-income households, and families with school-aged children. NDP voters overwhelmingly favour the measure, with 89% in support, while UCP voters are more divided, with 45% opposed and 37% supportive.ThinkHQ President Marc Henry said the survey highlights a challenge for the Smith government. .“Public funding of private schools has been a perennial issue for some Albertans, and the referendum legislation lets them bypass the legislature to a degree. If they can get the signatures, this is going to be a sticky situation for the Minister of Education,” Henry said. “If the will of Alberta voters finds its way to a ballot box, public funding for private schools may be on the way out.”.Advanced Education Minister Myles McDougall said citizens don't have all the proper information on funding."My personal feeling is that there's a lot of misunderstanding of the actual consequence and impacts of the government funding that we do provide to independent schools.” “If we were to reduce the number of independent schools, it would actually cost the government more money to provide education, because, in effect, we are on a per student basis, we contribute less on an operating perspective and nothing on a capital perspective.""And so, it's about half the cost for the government when you factor in those two things for us to pay for a student be educated in independent school versus a public school system. ""You need to think about this on a pragmatic basis and a fairness basis, as opposed to a resentment basis, and misinformation as to how the funding actually works and who actually benefits from that, from this process. So I think we have, we have, you know, public education process that has to happen, and I look forward to that conversation.”
