Danielle Smith's UCP holds onto power in Alberta
Danielle Smith is still the premier of Alberta, surviving a vigorous campaign and a tight vote Monday against NDP challenger Rachel Notley.
Unofficial results at midnight showed Smith's United Conservative Party elected or leading in about 50 ridings to hold majority control of the province's 87-seat legislature.
"To paraphrase our dear friend Ralph Klein: Welcome to another miracle on the prairies!" Smith said to loud cheers in Calgary.
"Many folks wrote us off, even just as recently as last month. But you know what happened? Despite it all, Albertans chose to move our province forward!"
Smith acknowledged a fierce and well-funded challenge from the NDP. She appeared alone on stage and called Notley a "loyal Albertan who loves this province."
She promised to earn the trust of Albertans, including the hundred of thousands who did not vote for her party.
"My oath is to serve all Albertans, no matter how you voted," Smith said.
"I will work every day to listen, to improve and to demonstrate to you that I can be trusted to improve on the issues that you care so deeply about."
She asked Albertans for unity going forward and vowed to work on affordability, public safety and improving the economy.
Smith also promised to fight Ottawa on environmental and energy policies, arguing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's plans are "harmful" to the province.
NOTLEY CONCEDES, VOWS TO STAY ON
The NDP is expected to steal some seats, including Sherwood Park, Calgary-Varsity and Calgary-Falconridge, from Smith's party but fell short of power for the second consecutive vote.
"As a movement, we have grown our support in every corner of this province. I'm very pleased that we will be welcoming at least 10 more MLAs to our caucus," Notley told supporters in Edmonton.
"However tonight, I also know that we are all deeply disappointed in the overall result…Moments ago, I called [premier-elect] Danielle Smith to concede the race and I congratulated her party on their victory."
Notley, backed by her family on stage, told her MLAs to "get ready to get right back down to work."
She accepted responsibility for the loss and vowed to serve as leader of the Official Opposition.
Leader of the NDP Rachel Notley gives her concession speech in Edmonton on Monday May 29, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
Notley was aiming to end Smith's eight-month premiership, after the former head of the Wildrose Party won the UCP leadership race in October. Her predecessor, Jason Kenney, announced his resignation in May 2022.
The NDP leader, who was re-elected in Edmonton-Strathcona, last led Alberta as premier in 2019. She was defeated by Kenney on April 16 of that year, with the UCP winning 63 of the province's 87 seats.
Early results of this vote also confirm Alberta's two-party legislature will continue, with the Alberta Party and Liberals failing to win a seat for the second-straight vote.
The CTV News declaration was made just before 11 p.m. MT.
The results trickled in slowly. An Elections Alberta official said the organization was investigating the cause of those issues but that reports of tabulators not working were not true.
POLLS PREDICTED A NAIL-BITER
Almost all of the polls predicted a close race, with the NDP dominating in Edmonton and the UCP winning easily outside of the big cities, making Calgary the battleground and the focus for most of the campaign.
Notley led a pitch that hammered Smith on trust issues, pointing to her recent ethics violation, controversial statements by her candidates, and comments she made before becoming premier encouraging more private health care and out-of-pocket payments to access it.
The NDP said Smith and the UCP were not capable of fixing a "crisis" of long emergency room wait times and surgery lineups, alleging comments Smith made against vaccine mandates and in support of COVID-19 rule breakers were driving doctors away.
Smith and her candidates slammed Notley for bringing in a carbon tax as premier and her plans to both raise taxes on big businesses and back a federal Liberal target of creating a net-zero power grid by 2035.
The UCP promised to focus on the economy, with Smith offering a tax break on the first day of the campaign. Smith also argued that the former NDP government "failed" with policies that hiked taxes and "killed jobs."
The UCP and NDP were the only parties to run a full slate of 87 candidates.
The Green Party had the third most with 41 and the Alberta Party and Liberals, which each won a seat in 2015, ran just 19 and 15 candidates, respectively.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.