October 1, 2026: More than eight in ten Canadians say Alberta should remain part of Canada (83%), while close to one in ten say it should leave Canada and become an independent country (9%). Fewer than one in ten are unsure or prefer not to say (7%).
“With the referendum coming up in Alberta on October 19, we wanted to understand how Canadians from coast to coast to coast feel about that province’s place in Canada,” said Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner at Narrative Research. “Although the country as a whole isn’t voting, it is clear that if they could, they would choose for Alberta to remain a part of Canada.”
Some broad demographic differences are noteworthy. Regionally, residents of Quebec are less likely to say Alberta should remain part of Canada (74%) than residents of BC/North (84%), the Prairies (87%), Ontario (87%), or Atlantic Canada (87%). Quebec residents are also more likely to be unsure or prefer not to say (14%) than residents of BC/North (3%) or the Prairies (4%). By age, Canadians aged 62 and older (‘boomers’) are more likely than those aged 18 to 29 to say Alberta should remain part of Canada (89% versus 75%), while those aged 18 to 29 (Gen Z) are more likely than those aged 62 and older to say Alberta should leave Canada and become an independent country (17% versus 6%). Both women and men overwhelmingly believe that Alberta should remain part of Canada (85% and 82%, respectively).
Results are from an online survey conducted in partnership between Narrative Research and the Logit Group. The survey was conducted between September 21 and 28, 2026 with 1,230 Canadians, 18 years of age or older from the Logit Group’s online Canadian Omnibus. Data were weighted based on the 2021 Census, by gender, age, and region to reflect actual population distribution. For more information, please contact:
Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner, Narrative Research – 902.493.3834, mchapman@narrativeresearch.ca
OR
Sam Pisani, Managing Partner, Logit Group – 416.629.4116, sam.pisani@logitgroup.com
Narrative Research (www.narrativeresearch.ca), is a non-partisan, 100% Canadian-owned, research company, certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE). Narrative Research provides clients with state-of-the-art research and strategic consulting services.
The Logit Group (https://logitgroup.com/) is a leading North American data collection and market research execution company headquartered in Toronto, conducting large-scale projects for a variety of well-known research agencies and brands. Logit employs industry-best technologies across an array of methodologies, and is independent, experienced and quality-oriented.
The question asked was:
As you may know, there has been some discussion and an upcoming referendum about Alberta’s place in Canada. Which of the following statements comes closest to your own view?
- Alberta should remain part of Canada
- Alberta should leave Canada and become an independent country
- Not sure / Prefer not to say
