Huge setback for Alberta's separatist movement after decisive defeat
It was a decisive result in a referendum that could have strained the bonds of national unity.
But preliminary results show that more than two-thirds of Alberta voters sent a clear message that they want to remain in Canada.
It's possible that once the final tally is counted, the rejection by a comfortable majority of voters to pursue separation through a binding referendum could halt Alberta's separatist sentiment in its tracks.
This would push the idea that had been discussed quietly for decades back into the political fringes.
For leaders of the Alberta separatist movement, while the result was expected given the polling, it was still disappointing after more than a year of campaigning and pushing for a vote on separation.
Asked by the BBC how he felt in one sentence after the results, separatist leader Mitch Sylvestre simply said: "Not happy".
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The outcome was celebrated almost immediately by Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said in a statement that "Albertans made a clear choice".
But the movement's leaders say their battle is long from over and that the issue could dominate Alberta politics for years to come.
Jeffrey Rath, a Calgary-lawyer and one of the main spokespeople for Alberta separation, said he and others "plan to roll up our sleeves and work harder".
Keith Wilson, another separatist, told supporters in Calgary that while the vote is over, "the conversation about Alberta's future in Canada and our place in Canada and our role in Canada will continue".
Smith, who openly supported and campaigned for the unity vote, thanked voters for the result.
The Alberta premier has been criticised for taking a "dangerous" gamble that the independence push would likely face defeat while still giving her restive base what they wanted.
She lowered the petition threshold needed to get the citizen-led campaign the ballot in the first place. By making Monday's result non-binding, she got around a court decision blocking the pro-separation petition because it failed to consult indigenous First Nations whose land would be affected if the province separated.
That gamble could test her leadership of the United Conservative Party, which she has led since 2022.
"She's lost the confidence of the (party) base," said Rath.
Albertans who voted against an independence referendum told the BBC throughout the campaign that they were motivated by a desire to keep the country united, especially as Canada grapples with tariff threats from the US, its longtime ally. They also feared that an independent Alberta could be vulnerable to outside influence - or even annexation.
Thomas Lukaszuk, a prominent pro-unity campaigner, told a crowd of supporters on Monday night that the early results made him proud to be Albertan.
At a pro-unity results watch party in Edmonton, Lukaszuk said: "We have a strong country, a strong province, and we are better together."