The 17th general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada, was held on August 30, 1971 to elect members of the Alberta legislature.

The Progressive Conservative of Peter Lougheed broke the 36-year hegemony on Alberta politics of the Social Credit Party. Harry E. Strom, who followed Ernest C. Manning as Social Credit leader and premier, had been unable to revive what was seen as a tired regime.

Although Social Credit lost only a small share of the popular vote, the collapse of the other opposition parties allowed the PC Party to present a credible challenge. Lougheed, with 46% of the popular vote, won 49 of the 75 seats in the legislature, and made the PC Party the new party of the right-wing majority in the province. Social Credit continued to decline after this election, and despite periodic attempts at reviving the party, was never again a significant force in Alberta politics.

The Liberal Party was shut out of the legislature, while Alberta New Democratic Party leader Grant Notley was the only NDPer to win election. He sat as the only New Democrat in the legislature until 1982.

Notes:

"Previous" refers to to standings at previous election, not to standings in the Legislature at dissolution.

n.a. = not applicable - the party was not recognized in the previous election

See also

List of Canadian political parties