[Resource] The Alberta Referendum Separation Question

On October 19, Albertans will be asked to vote on a number of questions that have potentially consequential implications for our province and our country. There has been much rhetoric around each of the questions, and it is almost certain there will be even more rhetoric before ballots are cast.

The Muttart Foundation is not supporting or opposing any of the questions.

It does, however, feel it vitally important that people have access to evidence about each of the issues on which they are being asked to make judgment. What follows is our attempt to provide facts and perhaps say things that others will not, or cannot, say.

The provincial referendum on October 19 th , 2026 will include ten questions, with a two-part question relating to Alberta’s position in federation.

• Should Alberta remain a province in Canada, or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?
• Option 1: Alberta should remain a province in Canada.
• Option 2: The Government of Alberta should commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada.

The results of the referendum question are not binding, although how Albertans vote will guide the future actions of the provincial government.

The impacts of separation or the decision to pursue a binding referendum of separation on Alberta’s charitable sector are difficult to predict. The Quebec referendum in 1995 provides some evidence of how a vote on separation impacts on a province, its economy and its politics,1 with uncertainty a common theme.

Should Alberta subsequently decide to separate then there would be further potential economic, organizational and legal or regulatory changes and disruptions that charities would be required to manage. There are currently no precedents for how these changes would impact charities and their work.

Looking at how separation might impact on the work of the charitable sector, the following main areas of potential concern arise:

• The Potential Impacts of Separation on Charities’ Finances and Economic Well-Being
• The Potential Impacts of Separation on Labour Markets and Charities’ Workforces
• The Potential Impacts of Separation on Charities’ National Networks and Affiliations
• The Potential Impacts of Separation on the Regulation of Charities