Alberta ‌has voted to remain part of Canada in the province's first-ever referendum on separation.

A small but vocal group of separatists has campaigned for months for an independent Alberta, arguing that the province's energy wealth is subsidising poorer parts of Canada, and that Alberta would be far richer without Ottawa bureaucracy ‌impeding its path.

The result is a boost for Prime Minister Mark Carney as he attempts ​to unify the country amid a trade war with the US.

CBC News, Canada's government-funded national broadcaster, called the result late on Monday after 33% of the vote had been counted.

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At the time of the call, ​76% of tallied votes were in support of the "remain" side, versus 23% in favour of the ‌province
moving forward with a binding vote on separation.

"Albertans made a clear choice," Carney said in a statement. "They chose unity, to build ​together, and to take care of each other."

"Canada is greater than the sum of its parts," he said.

Last week, Carney told a rally in Calgary that voting to leave Canada would be a "dangerous bluff that will lead to years of deep division" and appealed to "vote like Canada depends on it".

Carney, who grew up mostly in Alberta, acknowledged that Albertans have often felt slighted by Ottawa and said his government had approved a proposed new pipeline.

He added Alberta is critical to helping Canada reduce its dependence on the US.

Pollsters and analysts had repeatedly dismissed the possibility of a separatist victory having cited data that showed around one-third of residents in the western province supported a future referendum on leaving.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who announced the referendum in May, said it was "time to have a vote, understand the will of Albertans on this subject, and move on".

She issued a statement on social media late on Monday, saying she was "very pleased" that early results showed widespread support for remaining in Canada.

Smith added she would address Albertans on Tuesday to discuss the results and "where our province goes from here".

The referendum follows two previous referendums on separation in the majority French-speaking province of Quebec.