Remember when the province said it would update paper health care cards? It's hinting at it again

Every Albertan knows the perils that come with handling the province's infamous paper health care cards — torn corners, water damage, irreversible crease marks. 

Whether you're the type that's had your card laminated, or keep a mangled version swimming dangerously in your wallet, a new, more robust model may be on the way.

The province is once again hinting that it's planning to do away with paper health care cards. 

Over the weekend, Premier Danielle Smith mentioned the government's renewed intention to take action on the issue in the Saturday edition of her weekly phone-in radio show, Your Province Your Premier.

"We're going to replace that darn paper health care card. I hope we have an announcement on that soon," said the premier, while talking about wider technological automation initiatives her government is undertaking. 

In an e-mail to CBC News, a spokesperson for health minister Adrianna LaGrange said options are being explored for new, more convenient health care cards. 

"[We] hope to provide Albertans with more information in early spring," said the spokesperson. 

The potential step forward comes after over half a million dollars was earmarked in the 2021-22 provincial budget for a "registry system modernization" that would have seen health care numbers added to driver's licences and identification cards. 

Nearly a decade ago, then Alberta Auditor General Merwan Saher sparked concern over the security of Alberta's health care cards in a 2015 report, saying that their lack of expiry dates leaves them open to abuse. 

A long time coming

Calgarians said they are ready for a more sturdy and secure alternative.

Santiago Otero said he doesn't even like to put the card in his wallet because it often gets crumpled. 

"It could be better … More secure and maybe easier to carry around."

Tara McCarthy has had to tape her Alberta Health Care card several times and has lost it too.

"Oh it's in terrible condition … It's not the easiest thing to get replaced," she said. 

McCarthy said she thinks it would be a good idea to put health care card numbers onto a driver's licence or identification card. 

"It's just more efficient. Everything's on digital anyways now," she said. 

It's still not clear what the new version of the cards would look like. 

Alberta is one of the last provinces to still issue paper health cards — Manitoba is the only other province to use paper, although it plans to change to plastic this year. 

In a statement, a provincial spokesperson in Manitoba said details related to the production of its new plastic health care cards are still being finalized.