Alberta voters are watching two political forces pull in different directions

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 26, 2026

Photo Courtesy: CBC News

Alberta’s political landscape is showing a widening gap between the province’s governing United Conservative Party (UCP) and the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), according to a new poll conducted by Janet Brown Opinion Research for CBC.

The survey points to continued UCP support under Premier Danielle Smith, while support for the NDP under Leader Naheed Nenshi has declined compared with earlier measurements.

The numbers come as Alberta politics enters a period shaped by several major issues, including health care, the economy, affordability and the debate over Alberta’s place within Canada.

The polling also highlights a complicated picture of public opinion toward the two party leaders. While the UCP maintains support among many voters, other measures in the survey show that Albertans’ views on the government’s performance and its handling of key issues are not uniformly positive.

Recent polling from Research Co., conducted in late August, similarly found the UCP ahead of the NDP among decided voters, at 46 percent to 43 percent. At the same time, Nenshi recorded a higher approval rating than Smith in that survey, while Smith led Nenshi on the question of who would make the best premier.

The latest numbers come as Alberta prepares for an October referendum on a range of questions, including a question related to the province’s potential pursuit of greater constitutional autonomy. The separation issue remains particularly significant, although separate polling has found a majority of Albertans continuing to support remaining in Canada.

For Alberta’s major political parties, the polling offers a snapshot of a province where party support, leader approval and views on individual issues do not always move together.

With the next provincial election still ahead, the numbers provide a measure of where public opinion stands now — while also showing how quickly that picture can change as Alberta’s political debates continue.