UCP Leadership Results

The United Conservative Party (UCP) has a new leader and Alberta a new Premier. At the BMO Centre in Calgary tonight, Danielle Smith won 53.77 per cent of the vote on the 6th ballot, a tight win.

While tonight’s outcome will continue to play out in the coming weeks and months, some changes and inflection points are fast approaching. Premier-designate Smith will be sworn in on Tuesday, October 11, and by late next week, there is good chance a new Cabinet will be announced. Following that, the government will likely prorogue the Legislature so that Premier-designate Smith can start a new session with a Speech from the Throne. Beginning October 21, the three-day UCP Annual General Meeting will be held in Edmonton. This will be an important event for Premier Smith to showcase her ability to unite the party and prepare for the 2023 election. The budget development process will also reflect the priorities of the new Premier, and new legislation will be introduced. Somewhere within this period, a byelection may be called in Calgary-Elbow, and likely another in the southern part of the province, so that Smith can enter the Legislature. That is, of course, assuming there is an MLA that will agree to step down early.

These next steps will be important, as they will set the stage for the spring 2023 election. They will also allow Premier Smith to put her stamp on the Party. While the race may be over, the excitement is just beginning.

As always, your team at CSG will continue to keep you updated as the new Premier rolls out her team. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of our team if you have any further questions.