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Alberta to Add Canadian Citizenship Marker to Drivers Licences
Alberta introduces a 'CAN' citizenship marker on IDs and health care numbers to improve service access and address over 500,000 excess health care registrations, officials said.
- On Monday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced that driver's licences and ID cards will display a Canadian citizenship marker to improve service and election security.
- The government introduced this change due to concerns about election fraud, difficulty verifying citizenship, and excess Alberta health-care numbers.
- The citizenship marker, a simple 'CAN' code, will appear only on Canadian citizens' IDs, while permanent residents and non-citizens will have no notation.
- Smith said this change will allow Albertans to prove identity and citizenship with one document and will come at no extra cost when renewing licences.
- The changes will roll out late 2026 alongside adding Alberta health-care numbers to licences, aiming to increase security and convenience in accessing services.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Alberta First Province to Add Citizenship Status to Driver’s Licences for Election Integrity
The government of Alberta says it will introduce legislation this fall to add Canadian citizenship status to provincial driver’s licences and ID cards, a move it says will streamline access to services, reduce red tape, and strengthen election integrity. The update was announced Sept. 15 and will take effect in the fall of next year for all new and renewed Alberta licences and ID cards. There will be no additional cost to the regular cost of obt…
For Prime Minister Smith, it is a matter of protecting the elections and facilitating the obtaining of certain aids.
Alberta to become 1st province with mandatory 'citizenship markers' on driver's licences
The government of Alberta announced Monday that driver's licences and identification cards will feature "Canadian citizenship markers." The mandatory change, which is the first of its kind in Canada, will roll out in late 2026, according to Premier Danielle Smith.
Prince George Citizen
Alberta to add citizenship to ID cards to streamline service, protect elections
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