NEW: Alberta is replacing its driver’s licences and provincial ID cards with a redesigned three-in-one card beginning July 2, 2026.
The updated cards can carry a person’s Personal Health Number on the back, ending the long-standing reliance on paper health cards, and will display a Canadian citizenship marker for eligible residents. Albertans must bring their existing health card to add the PHN and show proof of legal status for the citizenship designation, though neither is mandatory.
The new design replaces the dinosaur fossil on Alberta IDs since 2018 with an oil pumpjack, the provincial wild rose, and the words “Alberta Strong and Free” on the back. The card has 54 security features, and the province says linking health numbers to photo ID will reduce fraud. Card fees are unchanged.
Have you ever been so busy with life that you stop to wonder if it’s really what you want? You keep going, not because you’ve chosen it, but because it’s all you’ve ever known.