But those in favour of Alberta remaining in Canada spoke about the strength that comes from unity and argued there are other ways to address longstanding issues.<\/p>\n
Three quarters of Albertans vote to remain<\/p>\n
The results Tuesday morning were similar to polls released during the campaign. With the majority of polls reporting, about 75 per cent voted in favour of remaining in Canada, and 25 per cent voted for having a binding referendum on leaving.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792527491_969_default.jpg\")
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Supporters cheer as results begin to display at the pro-Canada watch party in Edmonton, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (James Maclennan\/The Canadian Press)<\/p>\n
Patterson said he has reasons to be upset with Canada. He now drives a delivery truck for a flooring company, after seeing a career in the oil industry end during the recent downturn, something he blames on the past prime minister.<\/p>\n
But he voted to stay. He said the arguments for independence were not convincing.<\/p>\n
\u201cNumber one, I don\u2019t want four international borders around me. I like being able to get into my vehicle and going to visit my sister and brother and not have to show my Alberta passport,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI looked into it. Canada has no obligation to give us, let us use Canadian money. If we separate, are we going to build a mint here in Alberta along with the refinery? And they keep saying, oh, we’d have plenty of money for our pension. I don’t know how well all that was calculated.\u201d<\/p>\n
But he doesn\u2019t think the issue of separation is going away. There will be another vote, he predicts.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m pretty sure it\u2019s going to happen again now, just like Quebec. These guys will let it ride for a year or two, then they\u2019ll stir the pot.\u201d<\/p>\n
A few voters say they are surprised by the results<\/p>\n
CBC News set up outside the Tim Hortons off Blackfoot Trail near 46th Avenue S.E., just as the morning rush was starting.<\/p>\n
Richard Racine, who popped into the coffee shop wearing work coveralls, said he was disappointed and wanted to look into the numbers more closely. The numbers for separation seemed low when he checked online, he said, after so many people signed the petition asking for the vote.<\/p>\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792527491_9_default.jpg\")
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People gather early Monday evening at the watch party for the Alberta Prosperity Project on Alberta referendum night. Leader Mitch Sylvestre can be seen second to the right. (Julia Wong\/CBC)<\/p>\n
Cody Ratcliffe, a delivery driver in the service industry, was also a little surprised. But he thought the remain side would have been even higher. Even 24 per cent of people saying they would like to leave Canada \u201cfeels weird,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels like a psy-op, is what it feels like. It feels like a method to stir people up,\u201d he said, using a military term for an operation that uses psychological techniques to weaken an enemy.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe there is a small portion of people, but I think most people are genuinely happy to be Canadian. And yes, they might have frustrations about the state of the country, but not to the point where they’re like, I don’t need to be Canadian anymore. That’s absurd.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792527492_588_default.jpg\")
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