Alberta Record

· Bill / Privacy & surveillance · enacted

Bill 10 — Expanded Use of Government ID and Driver's Licence Data for Programs and Services

Expands the purposes for which government identification cards and operator's licences (driver's licences) can be used, allowing the Registrar to collect, use, and disclose related personal information for government programs and services.

Moderate impactPrivacy & surveillanceCentralization of powerThe public, directlyLegislature

What changed

  • New provisions allow identification cards to be used for the operation or administration of any Government program or service (Section 3(2)(c) adding 17.1 to GOA).
  • The Registrar of Motor Vehicle Services is authorized to collect, use, and disclose information about an applicant for an identification card for these purposes and display it on the card (Section 3(2)(c) adding 17.3 to GOA).
  • Similar provisions are added to the Traffic Safety Act, allowing operator's licences (driver's licences) to be used for any Government program or service (Section 6(3) adding 51.1 to TSA).
  • The Registrar is authorized to collect, use, and disclose information about an applicant for an operator's licence for these purposes and display it on the licence (Section 6(3) adding 51.3 to TSA).
  • Regulation-making authority is added to govern these new uses and data handling (Section 3(2)(d) and Section 6(4)).

Why it matters

  • Expands the scope of government's ability to use identification cards and driver's licences as general-purpose identity documents for various programs, potentially beyond their original intent.
  • Increases the potential for collection, use, and disclosure of personal information by the Registrar of Motor Vehicle Services for a broader range of government activities.
  • Raises privacy and surveillance concerns by centralizing and expanding the utility of a single government-issued ID for diverse purposes.
  • The full extent of data sharing and use will be determined by future regulations.

Rights affected

  • Privacy — Control over personal information held by governments and institutions.

Other governance concerns

  • Privacy rights
  • Data collection & use
  • Ministerial discretion

Primary sources (1)