The Alberta Prosperity Project filed a placeholder petition application on Friday to vote on Alberta separation in the very near future. The group has asked that Elections Alberta prioritize its petition question over potential counter-questions from other groups, suggesting that some of these may not warrant a citizen-initiated referendum.
CEO of the Alberta Prosperity Project, Mitch Sylvestre, filed the petition application on Friday. However, the group asked Elections Alberta to hold the application until Bill 54 is officially proclaimed. The bill received Royal Assent on May 15, 2025.
The group’s letter to Elections Alberta also addressed another petition application that was recently filed.
The Alberta Prosperity Project’s letter, written by constitutional lawyer and general counsel with the project, Jeffrey Rath, reads, “We note that Mr. Thomas Lukaszuk, on behalf of Forever Canada, has filed a publicly available petition with the following question: ‘Do you agree that Alberta must remain in Canada and any form of separation be rejected?’”
“The question is not a proper referendum question to be used on a constitutional issue,” said Rath. “Furthermore, to the extent that the question seeks nothing than to preserve the status quo, it is not a suitable question for determination through a citizens initiative referendum.”
The Alberta Prosperity Project’s letter confirmed the group has received over 250,000 pledges as of May 21, 2025 — which consists of Albertans pre-registering their intent to sign a petition.
“As such we would request that you prioritize the approval of the question put forward by Mr. Sylvestre ahead of any other applicants filing mischief applications seeking to interfere with (the) orderly collection of signatures in support (of) the referendum question put forward by Mr. Sylvestre,” concludes the letter.
Rath outlined the steps between the petition application and the official referendum vote.
If the petition is successful and a referendum proceeds, the Alberta Prosperity Project previously outlined what the official question would be:
“Do you agree that the province of Alberta shall become a Sovereign Country and cease to be a province of Canada?”
The next four steps are to wait. Wait for the amended legislation that lowers the legal referendum threshold from 600,000 to 177,000 to be proclaimed into law; wait for Elections Alberta to approve the application; wait for official instructions; and wait for official petition sheets.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith will also have to decide how to deliver the referendum. She previously pledged that the question on separation would be put to a vote in 2026 if enough signatures were collected.
The Alberta Prosperity Project has been hosting town halls provincewide and will continue doing so over the next few months to educate Albertans on what separation would mean.
Rath cautioned Albertans not to sign any petitions until Elections Alberta issues official sheets and canvassers receive proper training.
“If anyone asks you to sign something before APP launches the petition drive, they are tricking you,” he said.
True North previously compiled a list of key groups leading Alberta’s growing sovereignty movement, such as Take Back Alberta and its leader, David Parker.
“Alberta Prosperity Project has made the right move. Odds are, it will take a month for Elections Alberta to approve the question. With NDP operatives already filing their own question, there is no choice but to press forward,” said Parker.