Alberta registries expand proof of citizenship options as licence renewal demand surges

Service Alberta is accepting recently expired passports and a wider range of citizenship certificates to process driver's licence renewals faster, after a dramatic spike in applications tied to new integrated ID cards.

The policy change came after Alberta began issuing driver's licences with citizenship markers and health-care numbers in July 2026. Renewals jumped 33 per cent that month compared to July 2025, with 127,000 people renewing licences versus approximately 95,000 the previous year. In August, renewals rose 23 per cent year-over-year.

Registries now accept passports expired less than one year and all citizenship certificates recognized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Previously, only a select list of certificates was permitted. Service and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally said Albertans reported difficulty proving citizenship. "We had a lot of Albertans that were telling us they liked this and they wanted to get the new driver's licence, but we were surprised by the uptick," Nally said. "In fact, it was so substantial that our contractor had to put a second production line in place to keep up with demand."

About 1 per cent of applicants had resorted to interim 60-day licences due to missing documents. Eighty-two per cent of people attending for other services opted to renew their licence early anyway, suggesting broader appeal for the new card.

The move has drawn criticism from Opposition NDP critic Gurinder Brar and the provincial privacy watchdog over the inclusion of health-care numbers and citizenship marks on licences. Brar said Opposition members have been swamped with calls from frustrated Albertans and is calling for the government to backtrack and for Nally to be fired. "The minister of red tape didn't cut the red tape," Brar said.