Calgary, AB, October 6, 2026 – New polling from Abacus Data, commissioned by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, finds Calgary businesses continue to see significant economic risks associated with Alberta separating from Canada. Among Chamber member respondents, 88 per cent identify the cost of establishing services currently provided by the federal government as a significant drawback to separation. A further 81 per cent cite potential supply chain disruption and 81 per cent are concerned existing trade relationships with other provinces would be negatively affected.
Respondents are also concerned about economic stability (80%), lending rates (76%), capital investment (73%), regulatory certainty (72%), and labour attraction (64%). Only four per cent of members see no drawbacks to Alberta separating from Canada. When asked about the potential benefits of Alberta separating from Canada, 59 per cent of respondents indicated they see no benefits. Businesses’ concerns are not unfounded, with these findings consistent with economic analysis released by the Chamber last week.
“Businesses need certainty to invest, hire and grow, and these results reinforce the significant economic uncertainty that separation would create,” says Deborah Yedlin, President and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. “Our members are looking at the practical implications of separation — higher costs, disrupted supply chains, new trade barriers, challenges attracting labour and greater uncertainty for investment. This survey shows our member concerns are becoming more pronounced.”
Findings highlight significant concern regarding Alberta’s international trading relationships. Seventy-eight per cent of respondents believe global trading relationships would worsen under an independent Alberta, compared with just eight per cent who believe those relationships would improve.
“Alberta’s economy is built on our ability to trade — across provincial borders, with the United States and with markets around the world,” adds Yedlin. “At a time when businesses are already navigating significant geopolitical and trade instability, additional uncertainty would compromise market access, supply chains, regulation and investment would create additional challenges for Alberta businesses. Our focus should remain on strengthening Alberta’s competitive advantages, reducing barriers to trade and giving businesses the stability and confidence they need to invest here.”
If Alberta separates from Canada, what are the main drawbacks, if any, that you see for you and your organization?
About the Calgary Chamber of Commerce
The Calgary Chamber exists to empower our business community to advance a prosperous Calgary and Canada. As the convenor and catalyst for a vibrant, inclusive and prosperous business community, the Chamber works to build strength and resilience among our members and position Calgary as a magnet for talent, diversification and opportunity. As an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 1891, we build on our history to serve and advocate for businesses of all sizes, in all sectors across the city.
Methodology
Abacus Data conducted a survey of 221 Chamber members August 31 to September 21. Members completed the survey either online or via telephone. All members were sent an email with a secure link to the survey, with multiple reminders sent to those who had yet to complete it. Additional telephone outreach was conducted on top of this. Respondents were broadly representative of the membership in terms of company size, and no weighting was applied to the results. In a survey like this, because members choose whether to participate rather than being randomly selected, a formal margin of error doesn’t strictly apply. For comparison purposes, though, a random sample of 221 drawn from a group this size would carry a margin of error of about 6.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, based on a Finite Population Correction.
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