Alberta Committee Approves $59.6 Million for Referendum Cost Shortfall

A bipartisan legislative committee approved a $59.6 million supplemental budget request for Elections Alberta on November 6 to cover costs from a massive provincial referendum held on October 19. The agency estimated the total cost of the 10-question vote at approximately $84.3 million, which is more than double the $37 million spent on the 2023 general election. The high cost was driven largely by a provincial ban on tabulators, necessitating the hand-counting of over 22 million ballots.

Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure described the event as unprecedented in scale and complexity, noting that counting staff alone cost $26 million. The supplemental funding includes $49.6 million for referendum operations, $9 million for the upcoming October 18, 2027, general election, and nearly $1 million for organizational capacity. Chief Administrative Officer Steve Kaye testified that the workload was unsustainable, reporting severe staff burnout with some employees working 22-hour shifts.

The referendum resulted in 74.95% of voters opting to remain in Canada, while other approved measures focused on immigration and provincial program access. The governing United Conservative Party defended the expenditure as a value of direct democracy, while Opposition NDP members criticized the strain on staff and the decision to hold the vote.