Alberta Transition Council
Published
First edition · September 2026

The plan for a prosperous, Independent Alberta is published.

The Alberta Transition Plan sets out the legal, institutional and operational requirements for Alberta to become an independent country. Not a question of whether. A blueprint for how.

Twenty-eight chapters across seven parts. Read it online, chapter by chapter, or download the complete document.

The Earth with Alberta highlighted in gold
Energy
3rd largest
Oil reserves in the world. 160B+ proven barrels
Prosperity
$70K+
GDP per capita. among the highest globally
Population
5M+
A future nation of more than five million
Agriculture
$16B
In agri-food exports annually. a global food power
Scale
634,000 km²
Larger than France. the land, geography, and scale of a nation
Fig. I53.9°N · 116.5°W
i.
Continuity
A transition delivered without disruption to services, institutions, or daily life. Day One must function.
ii.
Prosperity
Alberta's fiscal strength is the foundation of a wealthier, lower-tax sovereign nation. The math already works.
iii.
Authority
A lawful path, guided by the Supreme Court's 1998 Secession Reference. Structured, deliverable, defensible.
What the plan sets out

Most of what a country needs, Alberta already has.

This Alberta Transition Plan examines a practical question: if Albertans ultimately vote to become an independent country, what would have to be done to make the transition to independence orderly, lawful and workable?

The central conclusion of the research is straightforward. Alberta would not be starting from scratch.

Alberta already has a functioning government, Legislature, ministries, courts, municipalities, police services, health and education systems, resource regulators, tax administration, infrastructure, businesses and professional workforces. Most of the institutions and services Albertans rely upon every day already exist and operate in Alberta.

Read the Executive Summary
Inside the plan

Seven parts. Twenty-eight chapters.

I
Part I

Transition Framework and Constitutional Implementation

A successful transition requires that lawful government authority, courts, regulation and public order continuing without interruption. The emphasis is legal continuity first, institutional redesign later.

  1. 1Transition Framework and Guiding Principles
  2. 2Constitutional Process
  3. 3Courts and the Legal System
  4. 4Regulatory Framework
  5. 5Policing, Corrections and Public Order
II
Part II

Fiscal, Monetary and Financial Transition

A sovereign government provides the functions to collect revenue, manage cash, keep payments flowing, protect deposits, finance short-term needs and negotiate a credible settlement of debts and assets.

  1. 6Budget and Public Finance
  2. 7Taxation and Revenue Administration
  3. 8Banking, Currency, Monetary and Housing Finance Arrangements
  4. 9Public Debt, Assets and Liabilities
  5. 10Pensions
III
Part III

People, Rights and Social Program Continuity

For Alberta households, the transition is credible if legal status, Indigenous and treaty rights, health services, pensions and benefits remain clear and usable. For First Nations and Metis communities, continuity also means that land interests, governance, records, funding and rights-recognition processes do not fall into a legal gap.

  1. 11Citizenship, Immigration, Legal Status, and Mobility
  2. 12Indigenous Peoples, Treaty Relations and Aboriginal Rights
  3. 13Health Care
  4. 14Social Program Continuity
IV
Part IV

Economy, Resources and Critical Infrastructure

The economy does not need to be rebuilt. The transition task is to preserve market access, legal certainty, energy and food flows, communications, aviation, rail and highway freight, and the regulatory interfaces that make existing commerce usable across borders.

  1. 15Trade and Economic Relations
  2. 16Energy and Natural Resources
  3. 17Agriculture and Food Systems
  4. 18Transportation
  5. 19Telecommunications, Digital Infrastructure and Postal Services
V
Part V

Security, Borders and State Capacity

Statehood adds responsibilities for defence, border administration and federal-function public-service capacity. These functions must be civilian-controlled, legally bounded and integrated with the wider transition—not treated as stand-alone requirements.

  1. 20Defence and National Security
  2. 21Borders and Customs Administration
  3. 22Public Service and Administrative Capacity
VI
Part VI

External Relations and International Transition

Domestic legislation can establish Alberta’s authority within its own jurisdiction, but foreign recognition, international treaties, market access and technical acceptance must be secured through advance planning and advance negotiation.

  1. 23International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs
  2. 24International Organizations and Treaty Succession
  3. 25International Trade and Market Access
VII
Part VII

Transition Sequencing and Implementation

The earlier Parts of this Plan identify what must continue, what must change and what new functions Alberta would need. Part VII brings that work together into a practical sequence for negotiation, implementation and Day 1 readiness.

  1. 26Negotiation and Implementation Priorities
  2. 27Transition Phases and Sequence
  3. 28Conclusions and Principal Findings
Cover of The Alberta Transition Plan
The document

The Alberta Transition Plan

A Practical Analysis of Alberta’s Transition from Province to Independent Country

Edition
First edition
Published
September 2026
Length
214 pages, 28 chapters
File
PDF, 21 MB