Pro-Canada option wins Alberta referendum, local media project

OTTAWA - The option to remain a province of Canada has locked in victory in Monday's referendum in Alberta, local media projected.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Albertans made a "clear" choice. "They chose unity, to build together, and to take care of each other," he said.

Just minutes after polling stations closed, major Canadian media projected that Albertans decisively rejected the option to begin the legal process required to separate from Canada, as initial results from a week of advance voting and mail-in ballots had already been counted.

According to the latest results, with more than 1 million votes counted, nearly 80 percent of the ballots favored remaining in Canada.

Elections Alberta estimated that more than 2.2 million valid ballots were cast, with voter turnout expected to reach a record high of about 85 percent, compared to an average of just over 50 percent in recent provincial general elections.

The provincial electoral agency said Monday that all counting results remain subject to official verification, with final certified results scheduled for release on Oct 29.

The referendum is non-binding, meaning the provincial government is not legally obligated to act on the outcome.

Covering about 660,000 square km and home to approximately 5.1 million people, Alberta is Canada's energy heartland. The province leads all Canadian provinces in per capita gross domestic product and per capita disposable income, with an overall standard of living significantly above the national average.

As a landlocked province, Alberta's vital oil and gas exports rely heavily on interprovincial pipelines and the US market. Due to its unique geographic and economic structure, long-standing friction has persisted between the province and the federal government over energy regulation, carbon taxation, pipeline infrastructure and federal fiscal equalization payments, giving rise to persistent "Western Alienation" sentiment.

The referendum was held against the dual backdrop of escalating trade friction between Canada and the United States and the perceived influence of foreign political actors.

Carney previously warned that "external forces" were attempting to "divide and own" Canada, urging Albertans to vote to keep the province in the country.