Alberta could run its own pension plan and collect its own income tax without separating, as Quebec does.

Summary

This is correct, and Quebec is the working example. Quebec has always run its own pension plan and collects its own personal income tax. Section 3 of the Canada Pension Plan Act lets any province withdraw and set up a comparable plan on notice, and provinces have broad constitutional authority to tax and to manage their resources. None of this requires leaving Canada; it is a matter of provincial choice within Confederation.

Evidence

• Section 3 of the CPP Act lets a province withdraw from the CPP and run its own comparable plan on notice, as Quebec has always done with the Quebec Pension Plan.

  C.D. Howe Institute (CPP withdrawal rules) (opens in a new tab)

• The Constitution gives provinces broad taxation powers, including over resources under section 92A, and Quebec already administers its own personal income tax collection.

  Constitution Act, 1867, section 92A (Justice Laws) (opens in a new tab)