Alberta votes Monday: a guide to the 10 referendum questions

The immigration questions (1–5)

Question 1: should Alberta seek greater control over immigration, bringing levels down to what the province calls "sustainable," prioritizing economic migrants and Albertans for jobs — similar to Quebec's long-standing arrangement with Ottawa. Question 2: should provincially funded programs such as health care and education be limited to citizens, permanent residents and those with an "Alberta-approved immigration status" — a term the government has not defined. Question 3: should non-permanent residents have to live in Alberta for 12 months before qualifying for provincial social supports. Question 4: should Alberta be allowed to charge a "reasonable fee" to non-permanent residents for use of the health and education systems — Premier Danielle Smith told Calgary business leaders on Sept. 22 that a health premium could reach C$1,900, while educators warn that restricting school access runs against children's rights. Question 5: should voters have to show proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, to vote in provincial elections (provincial voting is already limited to citizens, and election authorities report very few cases of ineligible voting).

The constitutional questions (6–9)

None of these four would become law directly; each would commit Alberta to seeking constitutional amendments with other provinces and Ottawa. Question 6: provincial governments, not Ottawa, would appoint justices to provincial King's Bench and Appeal courts. Question 7: abolish the unelected federal Senate — requiring unanimous provincial approval plus federal ratification, the highest bar of all ten questions. Question 8: provinces could permanently opt out of federal programs in provincial jurisdiction, such as health care and education, without losing the associated funding — a direct challenge to Ottawa's spending power. Question 9: provincial laws would take priority over federal laws in provincial or shared areas of jurisdiction when they conflict, reversing the current federal paramountcy rule.

Question 10: stay or leave

Question 10: should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the government commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether Alberta should separate from Canada? A yes vote would not mean immediate separation — only the start of the legal process. Smith has said that if the remain side wins, she will not hold another separation referendum during her term.

Voting logistics and the final weekend

Eligible voters are Canadian citizens aged 18 or older who are ordinarily resident in Alberta; polls are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 19. Advance voting ended on the evening of Oct. 17, and more than a million ballots are estimated to have been cast by mail and in advance polls. Prime Minister Mark Carney appeared this week at "Forever Canadian" rallies in Calgary (about 8,000 people) and Edmonton (about 6,000), urging voters that "turnout will determine the outcome"; separatists also rallied Saturday in front of the Legislature, but in small numbers.