Accra:Alberta A majority of voters in Alberta, a province in western Canada, have chosen to remain part of the country, as projected by Canadian broadcaster CBC News following a nonbinding referendum.

According to Anadolu Agency, preliminary figures available at 0630GMT, with 1,961 out of 5,587 polling stations reporting, indicated that 76.6% of voters, equivalent to 946,632 people, favored staying in Canada. Meanwhile, 23.4%, or 288,879 voters, supported initiating the process for separation.

The referendum posed the question "Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?"

Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the vote, stating, "Albertans made a clear choice. They chose unity, to build together, and to take care of each other." He emphasized that the decision signified a collective move forward with "renewed purpose and high ambition," adding that "Canada is so much greater than the sum of its parts."

Danielle Smith, the premier of Alberta, expressed her satisfaction with the outcome, thanking residents for their participation in this "critically important referendum."

Approximately 1.36 million residents participated in the voting through advance and special voting mechanisms, as reported by Elections Alberta. The ballot included ten questions, with the final one addressing Alberta's potential future within the Canadian federation.

The referendum, being nonbinding, does not automatically lead to Alberta leaving the Canadian federation. Elections Alberta noted that ballots would be counted by hand, prioritizing the separation question, with unofficial results expected within 48 hours of polls closing and official results scheduled for October 29.