Separation would finally give Alberta control over its own resources.
Claimed by: Commonly stated by Alberta independence advocates
False: False as written according to the settled evidence. How we rate.
Summary
Alberta already owns and controls its oil and gas resources within Canada under section 92A and the 1930 Natural Resources Transfer. The federal role is limited mainly to cross-border movement, exports, offshore areas, and overlapping jurisdictions, not to owning the resources themselves. An independent Alberta would still need to negotiate market access, pipeline routes, and trade terms with neighbours and the United States, so separation does not unlock resource control Alberta currently lacks.
Evidence
The Crown owns 81 percent of Alberta's mineral rights and the province manages development and royalties, so ownership and control already rest with Alberta.
Section 92A assigns provinces exclusive jurisdiction over the development, conservation, and management of non-renewable natural resources in the province.
Interprovincial and international pipelines are federally regulated, so market access for exports still depends on cross-border arrangements whether Alberta is a province or a separate state.