By Staff
The Canadian Press
Posted June 3, 2026 1:56 pm
Updated June 3, 2026 1:58 pm
1 min read
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The Alberta government will begin rolling out three-in-one identification cards, ultimately replacing the province’s long-reviled paper health cards.
Starting July 2, new driver’s licences and ID cards will include resident’s health numbers and citizenship markers, a move the government says will streamline access to services.
But the inclusion of a citizenship marker has drawn concern it will lead to discrimination.
A sample image of the new Alberta identification card rolling out July 2026.
Government of Alberta
The iconography of the card is changing, too.
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An oil pumpjack replaces the icon of a dinosaur fossil, and the words “Alberta Strong and Free” mark the back.
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Eventually, the cards will be made available for children who are eligible for provincial health-care insurance.
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Alberta adding proof of Canadian citizenship to provincial driver’s licences
— More to come…
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