April 30th, 2025 – Alberta just made a significant change that could let people vote on whether the province should separate from Canada. On April 29, 2025, the government introduced a new amendment called the Election Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (Bill 54). This law makes it easier for regular Albertans to start a referendum on separation by lowering the number of signatures needed to get it going. The change comes right after the federal Liberal Party, led by Mark Carney, won a minority government, which has upset many Albertans and Canadians nationwide.
How the New Rule Works
Alberta’s Citizen Initiative Act lets Alberta residents suggest ideas for votes on major issues, like new laws or even separation. Before the change, signatures from 20% of all eligible voters in Alberta – about 600,000 people – were needed, plus 20% in two-thirds of the province’s 87 voting areas, all in just 90 days. Those thresholds have been referred to as “brick walls” guarding against easy change.
Now, thanks to Bill 54, signatures are only needed from 10% of the people who voted in the last provincial election – around 177,000 signatures – and the petition’s sponsor get 120 days to collect them. Anyone who’s 18, a Canadian citizen, and lives in Alberta can start a petition by sending a clear “yes or no” question to the Chief Electoral Officer along with a $500 fee.
If enough signatures are collected, the idea goes to Alberta’s government, which can decide to hold a vote. If most people vote “yes” in a referendum, it could push Alberta closer to separate from Canada to become its own country, or potentially join the US as its 51st state.
Why This Matters Now
Many Albertans are frustrated with the federal government in Ottawa, and the last decade’s worth of attacks on Alberta’s economy and autonomy. A recent Angus Reid poll said 30% of Albertans would vote to leave Canada if the Liberals stay in power. Some people, like Keith Wilson, a lawyer who supports separation, say this change makes a vote considerably more achievable. “The sentiment of people saying, ‘we’re done with this’ is off the charts,” Wilson told Rebel News.
The new law came just one day after Carney’s election win, which some see as a sign Alberta wants more control over its future. Groups like the Republican Party of Alberta are excited and planning townhalls to collect signatures for a separation vote. They point out that Alberta has sent billions of dollars to Canada – $622 billion since 1961, according to economist Trevor Tombe – and gets little in return, while Ottawa responds by increasing the trampling over Alberta’s economic and self-governance interests.
What People Are Saying
Premier Danielle Smith says she wants Canada to work but will fight for Alberta’s interests. She’s not leading the charge for separation but supports giving people a way to raise the idea. “Albertans deserve elections that are fair, secure, and reflect the true will of the people,” her United Conservative Party (UCP) said, as reported by NationTalk. The UCP also says Bill 54 strengthens democracy by making it easier for voters to have a say and by banning electronic vote-counting machines to keep elections fair.
Some Albertans are ready to act. Lorna Guitton from the Alberta Prosperity Project told the BBC that a referendum could give Alberta more power to negotiate with Ottawa. On X, one user wrote, “Alberta is holding all the cards right now,” showing how some people feel hopeful about the change.
Not everyone agrees, though. NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi says the UCP is just trying to excite its supporters without solving real problems like the cost of living. But separatist groups are moving forward, eager to use the new rules.
What’s Next?
The Alberta government will debate Bill 54 soon, and if it passes, Albertans will have a clearer path to start a vote on leaving Canada. With fewer signatures needed and more time to collect them, regular Albertans will have more power to shape the province’s future. Whether it’s staying in Canada or going solo, Alberta’s voice is strengthening.
- With reporting from Victor P.
