Alberta separatists are ramping up a petition drive to trigger an independence referendum, while President Donald Trump's administration and allies draw scrutiny for contacts with the movement, but recent polling shows most Albertans still oppose leaving Canada.
The Alberta Prosperity Project, a separatist-aligned group, aims to collect by May 2 about 177,000 signatures, or 10% of Alberta's registered voters — the threshold to launch a citizen-led referendum on separation.
Organizers and supporters told Reuters they want an independent Alberta, not U.S. statehood, even as some expressed admiration for Trump.
Alberta activists met with U.S. State Department officials in Washington in January to gauge how the administration might respond to an independent Alberta.
A White House official told Reuters that U.S. officials meet regularly with civil society groups and that "no support or commitments" were conveyed, while a State Department official confirmed staff-level meetings and said there would be no future meetings.
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he expected Washington to respect Canada's sovereignty after reports of U.S. contacts.
"We expect the U.S. administration to respect Canadian sovereignty. I'm always clear in my conversations with President Trump to that effect," Carney told reporters, adding that Trump had not raised Alberta separatism with him.
Polling suggests the separatist push remains a minority position, even if it is politically salient in a province that produces most of Canada's oil and gas.
A January Leger poll found that 71% of Alberta residents wanted to remain in Canada, while nearly one in five supported Alberta becoming an independent country.
Angus Reid Institute polling reported Feb. 9 that 29% would vote to leave Canada and 65% would vote to stay, with 8% "definitely" for leaving and 57% "definitely" for staying.
Ipsos, in a Jan. 25 release, said about three in 10 Albertans (29%) initially said they would vote yes to begin the process of separating from Canada, but its "stress test" found committed support fell to about 15% to 16% after respondents considered potential costs.
Separatist organizers and sympathetic speakers argue Ottawa's regulations and fiscal policies have held Alberta back, while counterarguments from Canada loyalists, legal experts, and First Nations leaders say independence would be difficult, disruptive, and incompatible with treaty obligations.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has made it easier to trigger referendums while publicly supporting "Alberta sovereignty within a united Canada."
Fiscal claims drive much of the Alberta secession pitch by casting Ottawa as taking more than it returns.
Organizers and supporters complain about sending money east, facing regulations that curb oil production, and dealing with "taxation without representation."
The Fraser Institute reinforces that narrative with a concrete figure, saying Alberta made a net $285.1 billion contribution to the federal government of Canada from 2007 through 2024, citing Statistics Canada data.
Reuters contributed to this story.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.