Alberta introduces wide-ranging red tape reduction bill

The Alberta government has unleashed its tenth round of bureaucracy-busting legislation, taking aim at red tape across the province, from ID rules and professional accreditation to tourism.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Alberta government has unleashed its tenth round of bureaucracy-busting legislation, taking aim at red tape across the province, from ID rules and professional accreditation to tourism and the cervid industry.

Bill 10, the Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2), was introduced in the legislature on Monday and has passed its first reading.

The legislation would allow Alberta driver’s licences and identification cards to display personal healthcare numbers and Canadian citizenship information. Alberta is currently the last province using paper healthcare cards; the United Conservative Party first proposed replacing them in 2019. The Alberta government said it has since reduced red tape by 35 per cent.

The province revealed in a press conference that it also received an A grade from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business for its red tape reduction work in 2025 and was named one of the organization’s “One to Watch” award recipients for its automatic-yes policy toolkit.

Premier Danielle Smith and Minister Dale Nally previously announced that citizenship markers would be added beginning in fall 2026, applying to all new and renewed cards.

Smith said the change is intended to improve convenience and access to services by allowing Albertans to verify both identity and citizenship with a single document. She also said the change would enhance election security by ensuring only citizens can vote in provincial elections. Non-citizens, such as permanent residents, would still qualify for provincial identification, but the citizenship marker would not be displayed.

Albertans would not incur any additional costs by adding their personal health numbers and citizenship to their government-issued identification.

The government has also highlighted concerns with Alberta’s healthcare identification system. Smith previously disclosed that there are 530,438 more healthcare numbers than registered people living in Alberta. Nally attributed this to inadequate controls within Alberta Health Services, saying the system “lacked security and controls.”

The government recently launched an optional digital wallet, allowing Albertans to store certain provincial documents on their smartphones, including the new mobile health card. The province said health cards and driver’s licences are expected to be integrated next year, though driver’s licences are not currently planned to be available in the digital wallet.

Albertans would be required to present proof of citizenship or immigration status when renewing or obtaining a licence once the changes take effect. Nally has said Ottawa was unable to provide a single source of data confirming who is a Canadian citizen, and noted that “There are 67 countries around the world that already do this.”

“We’re always on the hunt for red tape, and when we find it, we cut it. By proposing this legislation, we are building on our nation-leading progress in cutting red tape as we solidify our province’s position as the best place in Canada to live, work, and do business,” said Nally.

The bill would also prohibit regulatory bodies from requiring Canadian work experience for applicants seeking registration in regulated professions unless the requirement is approved for health or safety reasons. It would set specific timelines for interim and final registration decisions and require work experience criteria to be published.

Supporting the amendments, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) said the work remains important for Alberta’s competitiveness.

“The Alberta government continues to lead on red tape reduction. Reaching the one-third reduction target was a significant achievement, but it’s great to see the commitment does not stop there,” said Keyli Loeppky, the CFIB’s director of Alberta and interprovincial affairs. “Continued efforts to cut unnecessary rules and streamline processes makes life easier for small businesses and Albertans—saving time, reducing costs, and keeping Alberta competitive while fostering growth and thriving communities.”

Another amendment would update the All-Season Resorts Act, passed last year, to allow private land to be included in all-season resort developments. It would also confirm that the regulator may issue approvals under various environmental statutes and set regulation-making authority, including timelines for reviewing applications.

A separate amendment would remove the prohibition on hunting domestic farmed cervids, enabling licensed operators to offer controlled harvest preserves for deer and elk. The government says preserves would be required to follow existing welfare standards, maintain strict records and comply with chronic wasting disease testing protocols. A change to the Meat Inspection Regulation would be required to allow customers to use meat harvested on-site.

The bill will proceed to second reading and committee review in the coming days.