A recent survey conducted for the Association for Canadian Studies suggests that Canadians are becoming less concerned about the possibility of separatist movements in both Alberta and Quebec, despite ongoing political debate and periodic sovereignty rhetoric in both provinces.

The poll, carried out by Léger between May 15 and 17 with 1,511 respondents, indicates a noticeable decline in perceived urgency compared with the previous year.

Only 26 per cent of respondents said they were worried about Alberta potentially separating from Canada, while 18 per cent expressed similar concern about Quebec.

This marks a significant drop from May 2025, when 52 per cent of Canadians believed the threat of Alberta separation should be taken very seriously, compared with 42 per cent for Quebec.

Concern was naturally higher within the provinces themselves, particularly in Alberta, where 39 per cent of respondents expressed worry, and among Anglophones in Quebec, where 41 per cent reported concern.The survey also highlighted regional and demographic differences.

Respondents in neighbouring provinces such as British Columbia and Saskatchewan showed more concern about Alberta separatism than about Quebec’s sovereignty movement.

Indigenous respondents reported higher levels of concern overall, with 42 per cent worried about Alberta and 29 per cent about Quebec, compared with lower averages among non-Indigenous respondents.

Analysts linked the cooling of concern to several political developments, including legal setbacks for Alberta separatist petition efforts and shifting rhetoric around Quebec sovereignty, particularly as the Parti Québécois has lost momentum ahead of upcoming elections.

Experts suggest that while separatist discussions remain present in Canadian political discourse, the immediacy of the perceived threat has diminished for many citizens.Nevertheless, ongoing debates and planned referendums in Alberta mean the issue is unlikely to disappear entirely in the near future.