Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced a new digital wallet to carry government-issued documents on a mobile device.

Smith touted a first-of-its-kind mobile health card in Canada, saying it’s a more “convenient” method of showing proof of health insurance coverage at hospitals and clinics.

“It’s called the Alberta Wallet, and it’s designed to let you carry and manage government-issued documents on your mobile devices,” Smith said.

“The new mobile health card is the first of its kind in Canada, and you can show it or scan it at hospitals and clinics as proof of health insurance coverage in Alberta,” she continued.

In the future, the wallet can include other documents like birth certificates and high school transcripts.

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“Danielle Smith says Alberta will be the first to launch a digital wallet for safe, secure and convenient storage of govt IDs. Digital wallets and IDs are the first step, followed by CBDCs,” one X user commented.

Footage below:

More from Calgary Herald:

In a media event at the McDougall Centre on Friday, Smith said the government’s goal is to use advances in technology to make life simpler and more convenient for Albertans.

“We’re going to be able to address the ongoing embarrassment of the flimsy paper Alberta health care cards,” Smith said. “The new mobile health card is the first of its kind in Canada, and functions exactly like the existing paper ones.”

Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish said 1.8 million people have an Alberta.ca account.

To access the wallet, Albertans aged 14 and older will need a verified Alberta.ca account and a MyHealth Records to add their health card.

“We’ll be essentially leveraging some of the existing infrastructure that many Albertans are using today, and giving them a new tool to embed their health card on their phone,” Glubish said.

Parents and guardians will be able to add their children’s cards into their own Alberta Wallets, and the same function will also be available for spouses and inter-dependants to share health cards.

Smith said the app won’t be mandatory.

The glaring question is, how long will using digital identification be ‘optional’?

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Several X users said Smith’s announcement marks the first step toward digital ID.

CBC noted:

A durable plastic card integrating the health-care card with an Albertan’s driver’s licence will be introduced next year, Smith said.

Smith acknowledged that some may not want to use the app. She said it won’t be mandatory and that paper cards will still be usable.

Technology Minister Nate Glubish, speaking alongside Smith, said the app will protect users’ private information using high-tech encryption software.

“You are in control of how you use this,” he said, noting the government can’t see how people use the app.

It’s just a way for Albertans to prove they are insured, he said, adding birth and marriage certificates, diplomas and other documents will likely be available to upload on the app in the future.

Watch the full announcement below:

 

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