As expected, Albertans voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining in Canada in the province’s recent independence referendum.

While attention focused on the independence issue, nine other questions covering immigration and constitutional change topped the Alberta government’s agenda. Close wins on the immigration questions and the defeat of those on constitutional change have left Premier Danielle Smith struggling with how to proceed.

In February, Smith announced a referendum on the nine questions, based on recommendations of a government-sponsored Alberta Next panel. The panel held town hall meetings across the province in 2025 to explore ways to increase Alberta’s autonomy.

The nature of the questions

Five questions asked whether Alberta should take more control over immigration, limit or impose residency requirements for non-permanent residents seeking social supports, charge fees for access to health care and education and require proof of citizenship to vote in provincial elections.

Four questions asked whether Alberta should work with other provinces for constitutional amendments to let provinces appoint Superior Court judges, abolish the Senate, opt out of federal programs without losing funding and give provincial laws priority over federal laws in areas of shared jurisdiction.

Left out were the creation of an Alberta pension plan, a tax collection agency and a provincial police force, which polls showed lacked public backing.

“We’ve done that initial culling of the questions to make sure that we found the ones that are likely to get majority support,” Smith said.

Her government also launched a $4 million ad campaign urging Albertans to vote yes to the........

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