The Alberta government announced on Monday that it will introduce "Canadian citizenship markers" on driver's licenses and identification cards. This initiative, set to launch in late 2026, marks a first for Canada. Premier Danielle Smith shared the news with reporters, stating, "We believe in making things better, faster and more convenient for everyone."

The addition of citizenship information aims to streamline access for Albertans seeking funding and services, such as student aid, health benefits, and disability support. Smith emphasized that this change will allow residents to prove both their identity and citizenship with a single document. "This change means that when Albertans need to prove both their identity and their citizenship, they'll be able to do so with a single document," she said.

Smith also highlighted the importance of this change for the integrity of elections, saying it is "also about protecting our democracy." She noted that permanent residents and non-citizens in Alberta will not have a citizenship marker on their cards.

To obtain or renew a driver's license, Albertans will need to provide proof of citizenship or immigration status. Alongside the citizenship markers, the province plans to incorporate Alberta health-care card information into driver's licenses, which will also be rolled out around the same time. Smith stated, "This will also provide additional security around health-care numbers."

Currently, there are more health-care numbers in Alberta than there are residents. Smith pointed out that there are 530,438 more health-care numbers than people living in the province. Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, remarked on the previous lack of security in the system, saying, "The way AHS was doing it previously just lacked security."

Nally added that the new system will help eliminate the potential for fraudulent health-care cards. "In the fall of 2026, we will now know who has Alberta health-care cards," he said. "There won't be half a million fake ones, which opens up the door for abuses."

The federal government was consulted regarding these changes. Nally noted, "The feds cannot provide us with one single source of data that tells us who's Canadian, who's not. So that tells us right away that this is necessary."

These updates are part of a broader redesign of Alberta's driver's licenses and identification cards. Nally indicated that more information will be released in the future, stating, "These changes will prove the security, convenience, and functionality of Alberta driver's licenses."

The introduction of citizenship markers will not incur additional costs for those applying for or renewing their driver's licenses. While a visual mockup of the new license has not yet been revealed, Nally mentioned that the citizenship marker will feature "a simple CAN code" on the card.