Innisfail Town Council has formally declared that Alberta should remain part of Canada, a first for the central Alberta town. The motion, passed at the September 14, 2026 council meeting, states that “Innisfail (and Alberta) is a very important part of Canada and that Council is proclaiming that we should remain in Canada as a province.”
The proclamation comes ahead of the October 19, 2026 provincial referendum, when Albertans will answer Question 10: whether Alberta should remain a province of Canada or whether the government should start the legal process for a binding separation referendum. The referendum results are not binding on the Alberta government, according to Elections Alberta.
Mayor Jean Barclay leads the seven-member Innisfail council. This is the first time the current council has taken a public position on the referendum, which will affect every resident of the town of about 8,700 people.
Innisfail joins larger municipalities in making a national unity statement. Calgary City Council passed a similar motion on September 22, 2026, by a 14-1 vote, and Edmonton passed a comparable motion earlier in 2026.
Recent polls show between 60 and 74 percent of Albertans support remaining in Canada. An Abacus Data poll in early September found 64 percent support for remaining, 24 percent for holding a separation referendum, and 9 percent undecided.
Innisfail’s full council highlights can be found on the town’s website.
