Alberta Drivers License Sample, GOA Image
EDMONTON — Alberta will become the first province to add Canadian citizenship information to driver’s licences and provincial ID cards.
The government says legislation will be introduced this fall, with the change taking effect in 2026 for all new and renewed licences and ID cards. Officials say the move is part of a broader effort to create a single, secure document that confirms both identity and citizenship, reducing the need for people to carry multiple pieces of identification.
Premier Danielle Smith said the change is aimed at strengthening trust in government services. “With a single, secure card proving both identity and citizenship, Albertans will face fewer hurdles when applying for government services. This will also strengthen the integrity of elections and other systems that rely on proof of citizenship,” she said in a statement.
Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally said including citizenship information will streamline access to services, while the Alberta Association of Registry Agents said it will support changes that improve the convenience and efficiency of identification. The province says there will be no additional cost to Albertans and that proof of citizenship or immigration status will be required to obtain or renew licences beginning in 2026.
But the Opposition New Democrats criticized the move, questioning its purpose and possible consequences. “This UCP government has not been able to provide clarity on why this citizenship marker is necessary. Other than voting, we cannot identify any programs that are exclusively offered to Canadian citizens,” said Lizette Tejada, the NDP’s shadow minister for immigration and multiculturalism.
“Is the UCP government now planning on illegally and unconstitutionally restricting programs from legal residents of Canada? Instead of reducing red tape this will be a headache for Canadian-born citizens who will now have to present either a passport, that over one-third of Albertans don’t have, or find their old birth certificate just to renew their driver’s licence. Once again, this government engages in virtue signaling while creating bureaucracy and red tape for everyone.”
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