Alberta Referendum FAQs
It’s almost referendum time, and Albertans are being asked to weigh in on constitutional issues, immigration and whether the province will remain in Canada or consider separating.
Got questions? We’re here to help.
Am I eligible to vote?
Any Canadian citizen above the age of 18 who normally lives in Alberta is allowed to vote. Curious what constitutes ‘normally living in Alberta’? Elections Alberta has some more information so you can determine whether you fit the bill.
This also means anyone who is a permanent resident or is in Alberta on a working/holiday visa is not eligible to vote.
Where can I vote near 4th Street?
If you live or work on Fourth Street, your closest place to vote is Rideau Park School (829 Rideau Road Southwest). Rideau Park School is open to vote on Monday October 19th between 9am-8pm.
If you’re hoping to vote in advance, you can also stop by one of these locations:
River Park Church (3818 14A Street Southwest)
First Assembly Church - South Entrance (6031 Elbow Drive Southwest)
St. Stephen Protomartyr Church (4903 45 Street Southwest)
However, these locations all have different hours of availability, so have a glance in advance at the Elections Alberta website for more information.
What should I bring with me?
In order to vote, you need to bring one piece of Government-issued photo ID, including your full name, current address, and photo. Alternatively, you can bring two pieces of ID, both containing your full name, and with one showing your current physical address.
There are some slightly different options in terms of identifications, which you can find here.
What kind of lineups should I expect?
According to CBC, more than 652,000 requests for special mail-in ballots were received by the September 25th cut-off date, which means it’s anyone’s guess just how many people will be submitting their ballot in-person.
However, Elections Alberta spokesperson Michelle Gurney has encouraged voters to arrive during non-peak times - such as mid-morning or mid-afternoon - in order to avoid long lineups.
What are the questions?
Here are the questions, so you can consider your options ahead of time:
Do you support the Government of Alberta taking increased control over immigration for the purposes of decreasing immigration to more sustainable levels, prioritizing economic migration and giving Albertans first priority on new employment opportunities?
Do you support the Government of Alberta introducing a law mandating that only Canadian citizens, permanent residents and individuals with an Alberta approved immigration status will be eligible for provincially-funded programs, such as health care, education and other social services?
Assuming that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents continue to qualify for social support programs as they do now, do you support the Government of Alberta introducing a law requiring all individuals with a non-permanent legal immigration status to reside in Alberta for at least 12 months before qualifying for any provincially-funded social support programs?
Assuming that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents continue to qualify for public health care and education as they do now, do you support the Government of Alberta charging a reasonable fee or premium to individuals with a non-permanent immigration status living in Alberta for their and their family’s use of the healthcare and education systems?
Do you support the Government of Alberta introducing a law requiring individuals to provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport, birth certificate or citizenship card, to vote in an Alberta provincial election?
Do you support the Government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to have provincial governments, and not the federal government, select the justices appointed to provincial King’s Bench and Appeal courts?
Do you support the Government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to abolish the unelected federal Senate?
Do you support the Government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to allow provinces to opt out of federal programs that intrude on provincial jurisdiction such as health care, education, and social services, without a province losing any of the associated federal funding for use in its social programs?
Do you support the Government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to better protect provincial rights from federal interference by giving a province’s laws dealing with provincial or shared areas of constitutional jurisdiction priority over federal laws when the province’s laws and federal laws conflict?
Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?
There have been some concerns raised across social media regarding the phrasing of some of these questions, so here’s a link if you would like a little more clarification.
