Question 1
Immigration Control
"Do you support the Government of Alberta taking increased control over immigration for the purposes of decreasing immigration to more sustainable levels, prioritizing economic migration and giving Albertans first priority on new employment opportunities?"
Why You Should Vote No
Alberta already controls immigration through its own provincial nominee program. This question overpromises what's constitutionally possible, while the real-world outcome risks harming the workers Alberta's economy depends on.
Key Numbers
Alberta Already Has an Immigration Program
Alberta is not powerless on immigration. The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), a provincial nominee program, lets Alberta select candidates who meet local labour market needs. In 2024, the AAIP met its full nomination target of 9,942 candidates, with over 85% of those nominations going to temporary foreign workers already living and working in the province.
Section 95 of the Constitution Act, 1867 grants both federal and provincial governments concurrent jurisdiction over immigration, but federal law prevails in any conflict. Alberta can recruit and select immigrants. It already does. What it cannot do is override federal immigration levels or classes unilaterally.
Sources
ImmigCanada. (2024). AAIP meets 2024 targets with focus on temporary foreign workers and prepares for 2025.
JURIST. (2026, February). Alberta to hold referendum on provincial immigration control and constitutional amendments.
Alberta's Economy Depends on Immigrant Workers
Approximately 27.7% of Alberta's population are landed immigrants, the second-highest proportion of any western province. Alberta faces chronic labour shortages in healthcare, agriculture, construction, and technology. These are not roles that sit vacant by accident: employers in these industries regularly rely on immigration pathways to fill positions they cannot fill domestically.
Net immigration to Alberta reached 54,000 in 2023 and 52,000 in 2024, well above the five-year pre-pandemic average of 39,000. These arrivals did not depress wages or take jobs from Albertans; they helped sustain growth in a tight labour market. Restricting this pipeline risks real economic harm.
Sources
Government of Alberta. (n.d.). Alberta labour force profiles: Immigrants in the labour force.
RBC Economics. (n.d.). Strong population growth boosts Alberta's economy, but challenges young job seekers. RBC.
The Federal Government Doesn't Have to Listen
Even a strong "Yes" vote cannot compel Ottawa to act. As a University of Alberta constitutional law professor explained following the referendum announcement, Premier Smith can ask what the public thinks about the proposals, but the federal government is under no legal obligation to change immigration policy in response.
A provincial referendum on a federal jurisdiction is a political exercise, not a binding legal order. The vague promise of "increased control" in the question wording cannot be delivered by the provincial government alone, regardless of how the vote goes.
Sources
JURIST. (2026, February). Alberta to hold referendum on provincial immigration control and constitutional amendments.
Calgary Journal. (2026, February 19). Increased control over immigration? Nine questions on Alberta referendum in October.
"Albertans First" Rhetoric Doesn't Reflect How Labour Markets Work
The framing of "giving Albertans first priority on new employment opportunities" sounds reasonable, but Canadian labour law already requires employers to demonstrate they cannot find a local worker before hiring through most federal immigration streams. The Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process exists precisely for this purpose.
Adding more provincial layers to an already complicated process will not create jobs that do not exist. It may, however, delay or deter skilled workers from coming to Alberta: precisely those workers that hospitals, farms, and construction sites urgently need. The issue is not too many immigrants; it is a shortage of workers overall.
Sources
Government of Canada. (2024). Economic scan – Alberta: 2024. Job Bank.
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