CALGARY- A new province-wide poll indicates that a large majority of Albertans across every region want to remain part of Canada.
The survey, conducted by Innovative Research Group on behalf of the third-party advertiser Vote to Stay, stands as one of the largest publicly released polls regarding Alberta’s constitutional future. The study examined five key areas across the province: Calgary, Edmonton, northern Alberta, southern Alberta, and central Alberta.
According to the findings, 78% of respondents in Calgary and 80% in Edmonton stated they will “definitely” or “probably” vote to remain in Canada during October’s upcoming referendum. Support for staying in Canada was also strong across other regions, with 72% in southern Alberta and 66% in both central and northern Alberta expressing their desire to remain. The online survey polled 2,000 eligible voters between June 4 and June 12, with results weighted to accurately reflect the province’s demographics.
University of Calgary political scientist Lisa Young highlighted the stability of these figures over recent months, noting that voters’ preferences appear firmly established. However, she warned that the autumn referendum remains unpredictable because final results will depend heavily on voter turnout. She pointed out that while supporters of separation are highly organized and motivated to show up at the ballot box, those in favor of staying in Canada might assume the outcome is guaranteed and fail to cast their votes.
The Vote to Stay campaign, which includes high-profile figures such as former Alberta premier Jason Kenney and former health minister Tyler Shandro, continues to raise concerns about the economic fallout of separation. The group warns that an independent Alberta could face a devastating $27.2-billion deficit in its very first year alone.
