Alberta separatists claim enough signatures for independence referendum

Separatists in Alberta say they have collected enough signatures to trigger a referendum on whether the province should separate from Canada.

The petition, organised by the group Stay Free Alberta, was formally filed on Monday in Edmonton.

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Organisers claim they submitted more than 300,000 signatures, well above the required 178,000 needed to advance the referendum campaign.

“This day is historic in Alberta history,” Stay Free Alberta leader Mitch Sylvestre said outside the election office, according to BBC.

“It's the first step to the next step - we've gotten by Round 3 and now we're in the Stanley Cup final.”

The proposed referendum question asks voters whether Alberta should “cease to be part of Canada to become an independent state”.

However, the process now faces legal challenges from Indigenous First Nations groups, which argue separation would violate treaty rights protected under Canada’s constitution.

Kevin Hille, a lawyer representing the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, said: “An international border would impact their treaty rights and way of life.”

An Alberta court has temporarily paused verification of signatures while it reviews the case.

Support for independence has grown in parts of Alberta amid frustration over federal energy and climate policies. However, recent polling suggests most Albertans still oppose separation from Canada.