The Top Five Provincial Stories of the Year
As the year draws to a close, several developments stand out for their lasting implications for Alberta. While many news cycles move quickly, the following five stories reflect events that are likely to shape the province’s political, economic, and social landscape well beyond the past year. Together, they highlight ongoing debates about Alberta’s role within Canada, the balance between citizen participation and governance, and the limits of constitutional authority.
5. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
In most years, the announcement of a potential new pipeline connecting Alberta to the west coast would likely dominate provincial headlines. This year, however, the signing of a memorandum of understanding related to such a project ranked lower than expected, reflecting the number of other significant issues competing for attention.
For Alberta, expanded pipeline capacity represents an opportunity to access new markets for its energy resources, potentially reducing reliance on exports to the United States. From a national perspective, improved east–west infrastructure aligns with broader conversations about trade resilience and internal market access. With that said, the Premier has recently signalled a willingness to devise a pipeline route to the Pacific through the United States, which has brought a new variable to this conversation.
The MOU has generated significant debate from western provinces, Indigenous leaders, industry, environmentalists, and federal politicians. The signing even led to the resignation of MP Steven Guilbeault from Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet.
4. Separatism
Separatist sentiment in Alberta re-emerged as a notable topic this year, gaining renewed attention amid broader discussions about Canada’s future and Alberta’s place within it. While separatist movements have historically remained on the margins of provincial politics, recent events contributed to a measurable increase in public visibility and organizing activity.
External factors, including mocking comments from President Donald Trump and other American political figures about Canada becoming “the 51st state”, coincided with domestic frustrations related to federal–provincial relations. These dynamics helped amplify calls from some groups advocating for greater autonomy or, in more extreme cases, separation from Canada.
Although the provincial government has arguably made decisions that (in an effort to build a new pipeline and remove the “nine bad laws”) may further the goals of separatist Albertans, the government used the signing of the MOU as a re-framing attempt to quiet separatist sentiment. However, that message was met with a chorus of boos at November’s United Conservative Party AGM. As we go into 2026, we will likely see a referendum question on the subject.
3. Recall Legislation and Citizen Initiatives
Citizen participation mechanisms were a major feature of Alberta’s political environment this year, particularly through recall legislation. At the time of writing, Elections Alberta had approved 23 recall petitions, 22 targeting United Conservative Party MLAs and one targeting a New Democratic Party MLA.
In response to increased use of citizen initiative petitions, the provincial government also moved to amend regulations governing these applications. An Order in Council increased the application fee for citizen initiative petitions from $500 to $25,000. Government has cited the need to prevent frivolous applications as a reason for the change, but others, including the opposition, have suggested this is simply an effort to change the rules mid-game.
2. The Teachers’ Strike
The first province-wide teachers’ strike in 23 years occurred this fall, following extended collective bargaining between the Alberta government and the Alberta Teachers’ Association. Negotiations had been ongoing for months before reaching an impasse.
In September, the government’s proposed agreement was presented to Association members, who rejected it by a near-unanimous margin. This rejection led to a strike that saw classrooms close for three weeks as government and the association continued to bargain.
After nearly a month of continued negotiations without a breakthrough, the government took the rare step of intervening legislatively to end the strike and return teachers and students to classrooms. While back to work legislation has happened before, this was the first time the Notwithstanding Clause was used to enforce the legislation. The decision was justified by the government as preventing irreparable harm to students, while critics pointed out its implications for collective bargaining rights that give the employer a trump card in negotiations.
1. The Use of the Notwithstanding Clause
The most consequential story of the year was Alberta’s unprecedented use of the Notwithstanding Clause. Section 33 of the Constitution Act, 1982 was invoked four separate times over the course of the fall sittings in the Legislature.
The first instance was tied directly to the teachers’ labour dispute, as the clause was used to impose a collective agreement following the strike. The subsequent three uses were introduced as amendments to legislation affecting transgender Albertans, raising significant legal, social, and constitutional debate.
Historically, Alberta has rarely invoked the Notwithstanding Clause, and successful uses have been even less common. The use of the Notwithstanding Clause has sparked incredibly heated debates about its use, the impact it can have on vulnerable minorities, and the challenges it presents in collective bargaining. While there is no further use anticipated, this fall proved the provincial government is unafraid of deferring to the constitution’s nuclear option for provinces.
