Security questions remain over new provincial ID roll out: privacy watchdog

Alberta's privacy commissioner says many people are concerned about their data being compromised as Alberta introduces a new ID card.

As the Alberta government prepares to roll out new ID changes in July, the province’s privacy commissioner is warning that security concerns still loom over the changes.

The Alberta government passed the Health Statutes Amendment Act last year, granting authority to integrate personal health numbers and citizenship markers onto driver’s licences and ID cards.

Those changes are set to take effect on July 2.

Alberta’s privacy commissioner has heard concerns for months about an over collection of Albertans personal data.

“I received numerous calls and emails from Albertans angry over it,” said Information and Privacy Commissioner Diane McLeod.

Premier Danielle Smith addressed the topic of ID security on Friday, using British Columbia as her example, and the security features the new Alberta card will contain.

“The card is attached to a person and an address and a picture,” she said.

READ MORE: Alberta adding citizenship markers, health number to drivers’ licences, ID cards starting in July

“We think that that’s going to actually increase the level of security of those cards, especially since the card itself has 57 different security features on.”

McLeod says the government is taking steps to ensure the physical card is not replicated, but it still leaves Albertan’s vulnerable.

“The number is visible. And if the number is visible, that means it can be collected by any person that has access to the card,” she said.

McLeod also says she’s concerned by a lack of privacy laws governing the Registrar of Motor Vehicles.

“We are still waiting to get a privacy impact assessment,” McLeod said. “We’re not exactly sure how it’s all going to work.”

In the coming weeks, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta is putting together information and guidance for the public to help them manage situations that require a driver’s license or other ID card containing a citizenship marker and the personal health number.

For now, McLeod has one suggestion for Albertans concerned about giving up too much of their data.

“Ask questions. ‘Do you need to collect this information?’ If not, if you need to take a photocopy copy of it and you have authority to do that, maybe you can block out that information.”