Alberta's oilsands regions vote in favour to remain in Canada, unofficial results show

Unofficial results from the two ridings in Alberta’s oilsands region — Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche and Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo — have shown significant support against holding a binding referendum that will enable the province separate from Canada.

Based on numbers retrieved from the Elections Alberta website, combined unofficial results for both ridings reporting showed a total of 18,825 votes counted. Of that number, 11,683 (62.1 per cent) voted for option 1 — for the province to remain in Canada — compared with the 7,142 (37.9 per cent) voted for option 2— in favour of holding a binding referendum to separate from Canada.

With 18 of 63 voting locations reporting in Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche, representing 28 per cent of polls, Option 1 had received 4,806 votes, or 62.6 per cent of ballots counted, compared with 2,869 votes, or 37.4 per cent, for Option 2. A total of 7,675 valid ballots had been counted as of the latest update from Elections Alberta.

Results in Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo also show voters backing Option 1 by a significant margin in the Oct. 19 referendum question. With eight of 40 voting locations reporting (20 per cent of polls), Option 1 received 6,877 votes, or 61.7 per cent, compared with 4,273 votes, or 38.3 per cent, for Option 2. A total of 11,150 valid ballots had been counted.

Advance polls at Stonebridge Hotel reported the largest reported voting bloc so far where Option 1 leads 1,697 to 1,062. While Kikino Community Centre reported one of the strongest margins for Option 1, with 173 votes to 26. Hylo Community Hall was evenly split at 74 votes each. Option 2 led at both reported Vista Ridge polls, with a combined 237 votes to 186.

Two polling stations, Rich Lake Rec and Ag Society and Whitefish Lake #128 Cultural Centre, reported no votes.

Special ballots from this riding favoured Option 1 by a margin of 989 to 207.

Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche (unofficial results for reported polls)

• Vista Ridge (028): 64 (remain), 66 (referendum), 130 votes total
• Vista Ridge (029): 122 (remain), 171 (referendum), 293 votes total
• Janvier Municipal Office: 72 (remain), 3 (referendum), 75 votes total
• Conklin Multiplex: 32 (remain), 7 (referendum), 39 votes total
• Wandering River Senior Drop-In Centre: 133 (remain), 37 (referendum), 170 votes total
• Bold Centre (039): 50 (remain), 47 (referendum), 97 votes total
• Bold Centre (040): 95 (remain), 44 (referendum), 139 votes total
• Bold Centre (041): 95 (remain), 44 (referendum), 139 votes total
• Bold Centre (042): 77 (remain), 34 (referendum), 111 votes total
• Bold Centre (045): 39 (remain), 32 (referendum), 71 votes total
• Rich Lake Rec and Ag Society (047): 0 (remain), 0 (referendum), 0 votes total
• Bold Centre (048): 24 (remain), 25 (referendum), 49 votes total
• Hylo Community Hall: 74 (remain), 74 (referendum), 148 votes total
• Kikino Community Centre: 173 (remain), 26 (referendum), 199 votes total
• Advance – Anzac / Conklin / Janvier: 94 (remain), 74 (referendum), 168 votes total
• Advance – Quality Hotel A & B: 976 (remain), 916 (referendum), 1,892 votes total
• Advance – Stonebridge Hotel: 1,697 (remain), 1,062 (referendum), 2,759 votes total
• Special Ballot: 989 (remain), 207 (referendum), 1,196 votes total

The largest reported vote count so far is from the Advance polls held at the Fort McMurray Islamic Centre, with 5,782 ballots cast.

Notably, Fort Chipewyan voted overwhelmingly for Option 1, with 202 votes to 4.

Among reported regular polls so far, (non-advance), Polling Station 004 at the Islamic Centre was the only location currently reporting more votes for Option 2 than Option 1 (817 to 735).

Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo (unofficial results for reported polls)

• Fort McMurray Islamic Centre (004): 735 (remain), 817 (referendum), 1,552 votes total
• Frank Spragins High School (012): 290 (remain), 65 (referendum), 355 votes total
• Santana Mandir Temple (022): 1,019 (remain), 858 (referendum), 1,877 votes total
• Fort Chipewyan RMWB Municipal Office (035): 202 (remain), 4 (referendum), 206 votes total
• Advance – Fort McKay / Industry 1: 73 (remain), 11 (referendum), 84 votes total
• Advance – Fort McMurray Islamic Centre: 3,491 (remain), 2,291 (referendum), 5,782 votes total
• Advance – Industry 2: 121 (remain), 5 (referendum), 126 votes total
• Special Ballot: 946 (remain), 222 (referendum), 1,168 votes total

Official results will be posted to the Elections Alberta website on Oct. 29.

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