Edmonton Journal has reported:

Support for Alberta remaining in Canada has increased as the Oct. 19 referendum approaches, while support for Option 2, which would begin the legal process for a binding separation referendum, has fallen, according to a Leger poll. The October survey found 74 per cent of respondents backed Option 1, up from 65 per cent in August. Support for Option 2 declined to 21 per cent from 23 per cent over the same period.

Andrew Enns, Leger’s executive vice-president, said the Option 1 campaign had consistently emphasized the benefits of Alberta staying in Canada. He said it also worked to encourage people to vote, following earlier concerns about voter apathy.

“They’ve done a very good job of ensuring and communicating to people the importance of Alberta remaining in Canada and voting Option 1, but also, they’ve been fairly aggressive in terms of making sure people get out to vote,” Enns said.

Enns said the campaign for independence had been less effective by comparison. The poll found that fewer respondents were undecided or had no opinion as the vote nears: four per cent reported no opinion in October, down from 12 per cent in August.

“I think it’s safe to say that the remain campaign got more of those individuals to say they’re gonna vote remain versus the option two campaign - they just didn’t do enough to convince those fence sitters who I would argue probably were somewhat convincible to either argument,” Enns said.

Among voters who had decided how they would vote, 78 per cent said they intended to choose Option 1, which would keep Alberta in Canada. The remaining 22 per cent of decided voters favoured Option 2 and starting the legal process to hold a binding referendum on separation.

The October figures continue a trend that Leger said has been developing since June, when a two-part separation question was placed on the Oct. 19 ballot. At that point, 64 per cent of respondents said they would vote for Option 1. The October result represents a 10-point increase from June, while support for Option 2 has moved from 24 per cent to 21 per cent.

The poll was conducted from Oct. 14 to 16 and surveyed 1,000 adult Albertans. Its results show both an increase in support for remaining in Canada and a reduction in the share of respondents with no opinion, alongside a smaller decline in support for Option 2 since August.

The ballot’s two choices address different outcomes. Option 1 is for Alberta to remain in Canada, while Option 2 would initiate the legal process of holding a binding referendum on separation. The Leger survey asked Albertans about their intended choice ahead of the Oct. 19 vote.