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Originally Posted by Wolven
The rules are actually pretty clear on this and what happens should the petition be successful:
Policy Proposal
1. The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly shall lay the proposal before the Legislative Assembly if it is then sitting, or if it is not then sitting, within 15 days after the commencement of the next sitting.
2. Within 10 sitting days, the Government shall bring forward a motion to have the proposal referred to a committee of the Legislative Assembly.
3. Within 90 days if the Assembly is sitting, or within 15 days after the commencement of the next sitting, the committee may either table a report with respect to the policy proposal at the earliest practicable opportunity or table a report recommending the policy proposal be referred to the Lieutenant Governor in Council for the purpose of a referendum.
4. A referendum must be held on or before the fixed date of the next provincial general election. If that date is less than one year after the date the recommendation is tabled, the referendum must be held before the provincial general election following the next provincial general election.
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There have been rumblings of an early election...the main reason I've heard is to do it before the ridings are adjusted with 2 additions (though IIRC UCP was trying to put their finger on the scale for how that would go, but in any event it should mean 2 more ridings in the cities).
It looks like the initial report will come in October 2025, but presumably it would be several more months before its fully implemented
https://abebc.ca/
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The Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission is required to review Alberta’s electoral boundaries and provide an initial report to the Legislative Assembly by October 2025. The Commission is required to hold public hearings prior to providing its initial report and after the report has been made.
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And this referendum could be more reason for them to pull the trigger on that, particularly before the first 3 steps have happened. But even after the first 3 steps, this implies they could hold an election without the referendum, which only needs to happen before the 'fixed election date': Oct. 18 2027. I think they'd be less likely to do such a brazen move (though I feel silly typing anything that gives the UCP any assumption of sanity), but I doubt they want this referendum tied to a general election at all.
I think they'd just campaign on saying they would hold the referendum ASAP, so it being a separate event really neuters the turnout. Which would be really really disappointing.
Then again the looming teacher strike probably argues against an election. Or maybe they come with a shockingly generous offer/pledge on class size etc for a pre-election spin.