OTTAWA, Oct 19 - Residents of the oil-rich western Canadian province of Alberta vote in a referendum on Monday on whether to remain part of Canada or start a process leading to a legally binding second referendum on secession.
The German Press Agency (dpa) reported that recent polls showed a large majority of around 70 per cent voted in favour of staying part of Canada, while roughly 20 per cent supported secession, and the remainder were undecided.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and both of the country's major political parties have repeatedly spoken out against secession. By contrast, support for the independence movement has come from the administration of United States President Donald Trump.
According to the provincial election authority, Elections Alberta, the province of five million people has some 3.1 million eligible voters. Polls open at 9am (1500 GMT) and close at 6pm, though postal and in-person advance voting has already taken place.
Voters will decide on 10 questions, with the secession question counted first. Election officials say a result could be available as early as Tuesday.
Calgary, with around 1.68 million residents, is Alberta's largest city, followed by the provincial capital of Edmonton with 1.28 million. The province is also known for its Rocky Mountain national parks, which attract tourists from around the world.
Alberta has some of Canada's most conservative voters, and a movement advocating independence on cultural and economic grounds has existed for years.
Some oil industry representatives feel restricted by environmental regulations, while many protesters who opposed coronavirus restrictions and vaccine mandates later joined the independence movement.
Although the movement has long represented a minority of Albertans, it succeeded in persuading Smith, the province's conservative premier, to call the referendum. Smith herself has consistently advocated remaining part of Canada.
