Carney signals he will consider Alberta’s immigration concerns after referendum
Canada’s prime minister called for cooperation with the provinces after Alberta voters backed remaining in Canada and supported greater provincial control over immigration.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in Ottawa on October 20 that he would take Alberta’s immigration concerns into account after the province’s referendum. Hindustan Times reported that voters backed remaining in Canada while supporting greater provincial control over immigration. Carney’s remarks signalled a willingness to work with the province; they did not set out a new policy.
“We are moving to a more sustainable pace of immigration,” Carney said, according to Hindustan Times. “Where we go from here needs to be established in cooperation with the provinces, and that is very much the spirit of one of the questions in the referendum.” The newspaper reported that he spoke with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on October 20.
What Alberta voters were asked about immigration
The referendum’s main question asked whether Alberta should remain a Canadian province or begin the constitutional process toward a binding vote on separation. More than 75% had chosen to remain in Canada with more than 90% of votes counted by Tuesday night, Hindustan Times reported. Those figures were incomplete results, not a certified final tally.
Five other questions concerned immigration. Hindustan Times reported support for Alberta taking greater control to reduce immigration to what the questions described as more sustainable levels, prioritising economic migration and giving Albertans priority for new jobs. The ballot also addressed eligibility for provincially funded services and proposed a 12-month residence requirement before some temporary residents could receive provincial social support.
Federal immigration plans and Smith’s response
The federal government’s 2026–2028 immigration plan already calls for fewer temporary resident arrivals, stable permanent resident admissions and priority for economic immigration. It sets a goal of reducing the temporary resident population to less than 5% of Canada’s total population by the end of 2027. Carney did not specify in the reported remarks how Ottawa would respond to Alberta’s ballot questions.
Smith welcomed the vote to remain in Canada. In a televised address on October 20, she said she would honour that result and would not hold another separation referendum while she remained premier, Hindustan Times reported. She said disputes with Ottawa would instead be settled within Canada’s political and legal institutions.
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Sources and context
- Alberta referendum: Carney signals taking immigration concerns into considerationHindustan Times
- Supplementary Information for the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels PlanImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.