Alberta residents vote to remain part of Canada — report

CALGARY - Alberta residents voted to remain part of Canada in the province's first-ever referendum on separation, CBC News said late Monday, in a much-needed win for Prime Minister Mark Carney as he attempts to unify the country amid an ongoing trade war with the US.

The referendum was nonbinding and asked residents if they wanted to stay part of Canada or start the legal process required to have a binding vote on separation.

Pollsters and analysts had repeatedly dismissed the possibility of a separatist victory, citing data that showed about one-third of residents in the Western province supported having a future referendum over leaving the province.

- Amanda Stephenson in Calgary and Maria Cheng in Ottawa; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Jonathan Spicer/Reuters