New Alberta bill seeks to formalize citizenship on licences, integration with health care cards

New legislation from the Alberta government is putting proposed changes to provincial driver’s licences, including adding citizenship status and health care number, a step closer to becoming law.

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Bill 10 — Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2) — was introduced in the legislature by Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally on Monday afternoon.

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If passed, it would amend five pieces of legislation over varying topics. Here’s a closer look at what’s changing with Alberta’s Bill 10.

Citizenship, health care number coming to licences

The bill proposes formalizing several changes that the provincial government has already publicized.

Those include amending the Traffic Safety Act to enable non-motor vehicle and non-identification information, such as public health care numbers, to be displayed on driver’s licences.

Alberta is the last province to use paper health care cards.

The idea of switching to a plastic card was first pitched by the governing United Conservative Party (UCP) in 2019 with Premier Danielle Smith announcing her support for adding health care numbers to driver’s licences around this time last year.

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The bill also similarly amends the Government Organization Act to allow for the display of citizenship on licences, an idea first promised by Nally at last year’s UCP annual general meeting, and promised again by Smith last September.

The government argues that the two changes will increase efficiency, integrity, and reduce red tape. Critics say verifying citizenship will be a complicated process and note other provinces have recently ditched licences with citizenship, in part because they were not suitable for international travel.

‘All-season resort development’ redefined

The legislation also amends the All-season Resorts Act which was passed late last year.

Monday’s legislation updates the definition of “all-season resort development” to allow private lands to be a part of an all-season resort.

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The original act created incentives for private developers by simplifying the application process to lease the land for resorts that will operate year-round, leading to more tourism opportunities for Albertans and visitors from abroad.

Critics have said the act gives too much power to the minister to approve or fast-track proposals and doesn’t account for protected areas or critical wildlife habitats.

Removing requirement for Canadian work experience

Monday’s bill also seeks to prohibit regulatory bodies from requiring workers to have Canadian work experience in order to practise in Alberta.

The policy was among those mentioned by government house leader Joseph Schow at the start of the term with an eye on streamlining approvals for internationally-trained professionals and to increase labour mobility.

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Elk and deer hunting preserves

The bill also lifts existing prohibition on hunting domestic farmed deer and elk with the goal of creating hunting preserves as tourism attractions.

mblack@postmedia.com

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