Alberta counts the cost of a border with Canada, as the referendum nears

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-25 14:42:50.0
Tags: [Alberta, Economy, Trade, Energy, Governance, Agriculture]

Ahead of an October 19 referendum on Alberta separation from Canada, studies commissioned by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and the province outline severe economic risks, including $50 billion to $170 billion in setup costs and potential losses affecting 330,000 jobs directly or indirectly supported by interprovincial trade. University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe estimated that Alberta's trade with the rest of Canada supports 13 percent of the provincial workforce, while Ontario trades heavily with Alberta, supporting roughly 230,000 Ontario jobs and $34 billion in income. Proponents of separation, such as constitutional lawyer Keith Wilson of the Alberta Transition Council, argue that the province holds major leverage through critical energy exports like the Trans Mountain pipeline.