Alberta’s separatist movement has exploded into a national political fight, with Premier Danielle Smith confirming she would allow a separation referendum in 2026 if enough Albertans support the effort. With new rules making that threshold more attainable, various separatist groups are mobilizing province-wide.
The growing momentum has caught the eye of Canadians. Once dismissed as a protest movement, Alberta’s push for independence is now backed by organized campaigns, registered political parties and influencers, spurred on by the election of Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney.
True North has tracked the key players and groups behind this rising movement and compiled a list of the groups, individuals, and communities turning Western discontent into a political reckoning.
Alberta Prosperity Project
The Alberta Prosperity Project is one of the most prominent non-partisan voices in the sovereignty movement. It’s an educational organization advocating for Alberta to hold a referendum that would give the provincial government a mandate to renegotiate its place within or outside of Confederation. The group also advocates for the creation of an Alberta Pension Plan, Alberta Police Force, and provincial control over resource development, taxation, immigration, and employment insurance.
As of early May, the group had more than 147,000 registered supporters who indicated their intent to sign a referendum. While not a political party, it aims to surpass the 177,000-signature threshold required to trigger a referendum. Its activities include hosting educational events across the province and online.
The CEO of the Alberta Prosperity Project is currently Mitch Sylvestre. The organization is also represented by legal counsel Jeffrey Rath, a lawyer who’s been at the forefront of Alberta’s sovereignty movement.
Once enough signatures are acquired, the organization plans to submit its petition to Elections Alberta for approval and begin the formal 120-day signature collection process.
Alberta Separation / Western Alliance Petition
Another grassroots separation petition that has been circulating on Change.org for several years has found renewed attention. With over 225,000 signatures, the petition calls for Alberta–and other Western provinces like B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba–to enter “survival mode” and begin polling public support for separation from the rest of Canada.
The petition was launched by Ashley Brosz.
Although it holds no legal weight and isn’t recognized under Alberta’s referendum laws, the petition continues to generate significant online attention and speaks to broader sentiments of Western alienation.
Republican Party of Alberta
The Republican Party of Alberta is a registered political party that has made joining the United States its central platform.
The party announced a new leader on April 29, 2025, Cameron Davies, who moved to Canada from the U.S. as a child. He was raised in Spruce Grove, Alta.
Davies has worked in Alberta on and off for years, including when he was charged and fined after Elections Alberta ruled that he violated election laws when working on the infamous “Kamikaze campaign” that was alleged to be trying to help former premier Jason Kenney get elected.
Through his company Sovereign North Strategies, Davies also conducted a poll promoted by the B.C. United party (formerly B.C. Liberals), which claimed there was a “noticeable uptick” in support for the failing party. The party eventually collapsed, and its leader, Kevin Falcon, endorsed the B.C. Conservatives, led by John Rustad.
Now Davies has shifted to the separatist movement.
Originally founded as the Buffalo Party in 2022, the party Davies leads was renamed in 2025 and is officially recognized by Elections Alberta.
Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta
The Wildrose Independence Party is a provincial political party formed through the merger of Wexit Alberta and the Freedom Conservative Party in 2020. It advocates for the creation of a sovereign, democratic Alberta rooted in personal freedoms and the rule of law.
The party is led by Jeevan Singh Mangat. He received 820 votes in the 2023 election, gaining no seats in the election that saw Alberta Premier Danielle Smith defeat Rachel Notley and form a majority government.
The party is officially registered with Elections Alberta and recently co-hosted a sovereignty rally at the Alberta Legislature in collaboration with the Independence Party of Alberta.
The Independence Party of Alberta
The Independence Party of Alberta supports full separation from Canada and the creation of a new provincial constitution and federal-style institutions. It envisions forming a Ministry of Independence Preparation to build out Alberta’s justice system, military, and governance frameworks as an independent state.
The Independence Party of Alberta currently has no leader. However, the party does have a President — Ron Robertson.
Originally founded in 2000 and re-registered in 2019, the party has not won any seats but remains an active political party.
The party is still accepting recommendations for flag prototypes for a post-Confederation Alberta.
Take Back Alberta
Once focused on reshaping the United Conservative Party from within, Take Back Alberta has now formally embraced the cause of Alberta independence. The group argues Alberta must exit a “nation in terminal decline” and supports reforms such as lower taxes, a provincial pension plan, and full sovereignty.
On April 16, 2025, the founder of Take Back Alberta, David Parker, published a piece titled Alberta Separatism Must Succeed, laying out the group’s evolving position.
“Alberta deserves a future. If Canada refuses to provide one, we must build it ourselves,” wrote Parker. “In the coming weeks, I’ll make the full case for Alberta separation. The highlights: more money for Alberta pensioners, lower taxes for all Albertans—including corporate and income tax—and, most importantly, a future outside of a nation in terminal decline.”
Parker warned that Prime Minister Carney is the greatest threat Alberta has ever faced.
X Accounts
Alongside official groups vying to lead the Alberta separation movement, several influential X accounts are helping to drive public awareness and organize support for sovereignty online. Accounts like Alberta Secession – Why? and Alberta Separation share resources in support of Alberta’s separation and promote petitions like that of the Alberta Prosperity Project.
Another X account, Rise of Alberta, has stood out by not only sharing resources like the other two but also by sharing facts about Alberta’s separation. For example, the group highlighted that the First Nations do not have a unilateral vote that could stop Alberta from separating.
The defence came after some Indigenous leaders writing a letter to Danielle Smith and Mark Carney, claiming the province has no authority to separate.
The X account has argued that no group, Ottawa, the courts, or First Nations can stop the process, according to the X account.