The Canadian province of Alberta will hold a major referendum on 19 October to decide whether it should remain part of Canada or begin the constitutional process toward a future binding vote on separation.

The announcement was made by Premier Danielle Smith following months of growing separatist sentiment in the oil-rich province. A citizen-led petition supporting separation gathered more than 300,000 signatures earlier this year, while another campaign advocating for Alberta to remain within Canada reportedly collected more than 400,000 signatures.

Despite rising political tensions, opinion polls suggest that most Albertans are still expected to vote against separation.

In a televised address, Smith revealed the exact referendum question voters will face this autumn: “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?”

Although Smith confirmed she personally supports a united Canada, she defended the need for a public vote on the issue.

“That is how I would vote on separation in a provincial referendum,” she said, adding that the same position is shared by her government and caucus.

The premier also criticized a recent court decision that suspended the verification process for the separation petition. An Alberta judge halted the petition after Indigenous First Nations groups argued they had not been properly consulted, claiming the process violated their rights.

Smith strongly opposed the ruling, saying the courts should not prevent Albertans from expressing their views on the province’s future.

“As Premier, I will not have a legal mistake by a single judge silence the voices of hundreds of thousands of Albertans,” she said. “Alberta’s future will be decided by Albertans, not the courts.”

She added that delaying the debate would only intensify public frustration over the issue.

The referendum is expected to become one of the most significant political events in Canada in recent decades, reviving national conversations about regional autonomy, federal power, and the country’s long-term unity.