Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
Has Alberta formally declared independence from Canada or intent to join the United States?
Executive summary
Alberta has not formally declared independence from Canada, nor has it formally applied to join the United States; what exists in reporting is an active separatist movement, petitions for a provincial referendum and public debate — including a court review of a proposed referendum question — plus pockets of advocacy for annexation to the U.S. [1] [2] [3]. Polling shows some sympathy in Alberta for the idea of leaving Canada or even joining the U.S., but major political actors including Premier Danielle Smith say she does not personally support secession while separatist groups press for a referendum [4] [5].
1. What’s actually happening: petitions, rallies and a court test
Organized separatist groups such as the Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) have submitted a citizen-initiative referendum question and are collecting support to put independence before voters; Alberta’s chief electoral officer referred APP’s proposed question to the courts and a judge agreed to hear whether the question is constitutional, with a November hearing and a ruling expected before the end of 2025 [2] [1]. Meanwhile thousands have rallied in Edmonton and APP and allied groups are actively campaigning for signatures and “intents” to vote yes [6] [7].
2. No unilateral declaration of independence in reporting
Available reporting does not document any official, legal declaration by Alberta’s provincial government that the province has seceded from Canada. Coverage instead describes activism, petition drives and talk of referendums; the legal route APP is pushing would itself face constitutional review and negotiation hurdles even if a referendum succeeded [1] [8].
3. Premier and mainstream politics: posture vs. policy
Premier Danielle Smith has invoked the idea of Alberta “sovereignty” politically at times but public reporting notes she has said she does not personally endorse separation and frames referendum talk as leverage in federal negotiations rather than as an immediate governing program [4] [9]. Some reporting notes speculation that hardline demands and deadlines between the province and federal leaders have fueled separatist momentum, but that is distinct from a formal secession act by the provincial government [10] [1].
4. The U.S. option: marginal advocacy, not a government plan
There are visible pockets calling for Alberta to join the United States — billboards, small groups like the Alberta 51 Project or America Fund, and some activists courting U.S. conservatives — and polls show greater openness in Alberta than elsewhere to the idea — e.g., Angus Reid and other polls putting double-digit interest in parts of the province — but mainstream political coverage treats annexation to the U.S. as fringe and not a formal policy of the provincial government [11] [12] [13]. Major national leaders reject annexation; reporting emphasizes practical and legal hurdles to becoming a U.S. state [12].
5. Legal and practical barriers the coverage highlights
Analysts and think-tanks warn that even a successful independence vote would trigger complex negotiations with Ottawa, Indigenous nations, and foreign governments; commentators compare possible outcomes to long, painful episodes like Quebec separatism and Brexit and stress uncertainty about markets and trade if Alberta left Canada [8] [14]. The fact that the referendum question itself is under judicial review illustrates the constitutional obstacles discussed in reporting [1].
6. Public opinion: sympathy but not decisive majorities
Polling cited in multiple reports shows a significant minority in Alberta supports independence or is open to joining the U.S., but support is mixed and varies by region and party — for instance, some polls put independence support around one-third in certain samples while interest in U.S. annexation is smaller and largely concentrated among specific groups [5] [12] [13]. Reporting also notes counter-mobilization such as the “Forever Canadian” petition that collected hundreds of thousands of signatures to keep Alberta in Canada [15].
7. Foreign interest and national security concerns
Coverage records that Canada’s security agencies and commentators are watching separatist momentum for possible foreign interference risks if referendums proceed; the head of CSIS flagged referendums in Alberta and Quebec as potential targets for meddling [16]. Some APP members have reportedly sought meetings with U.S. conservatives, which feeds media scrutiny of outside involvement [17].
8. Bottom line and how to read future developments
The situation in reporting is dynamic: activist groups are pushing a referendum route, courts are assessing the legality of the referendum question, and political rhetoric keeps the issue in the headlines — but no source documents a formal secession or any official provincial application to join the United States. Watch for court rulings, any approved petition to trigger a referendum, formal government action, and further polling; those are the concrete steps that reporting identifies as decisive [1] [2] [5].