Alberta has launched a $4-million advertising campaign supporting the province remaining in Canada before voters cast ballots in a 10-question referendum next month.

The campaign will run online, on television, radio and billboards, according to a report published Thursday by The Canadian Press.

The provincial government’s referendum website presents its position as support for remaining in Canada while seeking greater provincial authority within the country.

The vote is scheduled for Oct. 19. Nine questions deal with immigration policy or proposed constitutional changes. The final question gives voters two choices concerning Alberta’s place in Canada.

The first choice says Alberta should remain a province of Canada. The second says the government should begin the legal process required by the Canadian Constitution to hold a later binding referendum on whether Alberta should separate.

A vote for the second choice would not by itself separate Alberta from Canada. It would direct the government to begin the steps needed for another referendum.

Elections Alberta says the result of Question 10 is not binding. The agency also says it may not interpret questions provided by the government and directs questions about their meaning to the province or an MLA.

The agency administers the voting process under Alberta election and referendum law. Its role is separate from the provincial government’s campaign advocating a particular choice.

The $4-million campaign adds a government-funded advocacy effort to a referendum period that began earlier this year.

Elections Alberta says legislation governing referendum third-party advertising has been in effect since March 31 for the first nine questions and since May 28 for Question 10.

Registered advertisers and other political participants have rules governing advertising, contributions and financial disclosure. Those rules differ from the public spending announced for the government campaign.

Those details matter because the spending involves public funds during an active referendum period.

Question 10 has drawn particular attention because it follows two citizen initiatives involving Alberta’s status in Canada.

The government website says about 700,000 Albertans signed one of two petitions supporting questions about whether the province should remain or separate.

The province also says a court decision means a binding separation referendum cannot proceed without a constitutionally required consultation process with First Nations about possible effects on treaty rights. Alberta is appealing that decision.

The Oct. 19 ballot therefore asks whether the government should start a legal process toward a later vote rather than asking voters to approve separation immediately.

Rural Albertans will receive the same 10 ballots as voters elsewhere in the province. Elections Alberta says each question will appear on a separate numbered and colour-coded ballot for in-person voting.

The agency plans to count Question 10 first at each voting location before moving through the other questions.