The Alberta government has introduced new legislation that would significantly alter provincial driver's licences by adding citizenship status and integrating health care numbers directly onto the cards.
Formalizing Proposed Changes
Bill 10 — the Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2) was tabled in the legislature by Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally on Monday afternoon. If passed, the legislation would amend five different pieces of existing law, moving previously announced initiatives closer to becoming official policy.
The bill specifically proposes amendments to the Traffic Safety Act that would allow non-vehicle and non-identification information, such as public health care numbers, to be displayed on driver's licences. This change is particularly significant as Alberta remains the last province in Canada still using paper health care cards.
Long-Awaited Transition to Integrated Cards
The concept of transitioning to plastic health cards was first proposed by the United Conservative Party government back in 2019. Premier Danielle Smith publicly endorsed adding health care numbers to driver's licences approximately one year ago, signaling the government's commitment to modernizing the system.
Similarly, the legislation amends the Government Organization Act to permit the display of citizenship information on licences. Minister Nally initially promised this change during last year's UCP annual general meeting, with Premier Smith reaffirming the commitment last September.
Mixed Reactions and Additional Provisions
The provincial government contends that these dual changes will enhance efficiency, improve system integrity, and reduce administrative red tape. However, critics have raised concerns about the complexity of verifying citizenship status and note that other provinces have recently abandoned citizenship markers on licences, partly because such designations proved unsuitable for international travel purposes.
Beyond the licence modifications, Bill 10 also updates the All-season Resorts Act that was passed late last year. The legislation revises the definition of "all-season resort development" to include private lands within resort boundaries. The original act created incentives for private developers by streamlining the application process for leasing land for year-round resorts, intended to boost tourism opportunities for both Albertans and international visitors.
Opponents of the resort provisions have argued that the act grants excessive power to ministers to approve or fast-track proposals while failing to adequately account for protected areas and critical wildlife habitats.
