Alberta’s new welcome signs were unveiled Thursday, displaying the province’s motto, “Strong and Free.” Coming with a $3.5-million price tag, the new placards will replace the 23 existing signs that are 40 years old. “We had to renovate them and replace them, and we thought it was an appropriate time to give a new facelift to the sign,” said transportation minister Devin Dreeshen at the unveiling. “I think Albertans are going to be really proud to see these signs coming into the province.” The former signs featured Alberta’s long-standing “Wild Rose Country” slogan. The province opted to keep the symbol but ditched the tagline, similar to its renewed design of Alberta’s licence plates. “The ‘Strong and Free’ motto is Alberta’s motto, and I think Albertans will have a great sense of pride when they are driving into the province, seeing this sign,” said Dreeshen. Blanchett Signage Solutions was commissioned by the province to design and build the 23 signs. “We were very intentional with this project,” said vice president Taylor Blanchett. “Every component was chosen with care to ensure that it has longevity as well as reflecting the brand of the province of Alberta.” The wood-looking signs are made out of aluminum and anodized bronze and have reflective vinyl on them. All materials were sourced in Canada. “We wanted to ensure that we were supporting Canada in everything that we do,” said Blanchett, adding that all but one of their suppliers is Albertan. Installation of the new signs is expected to begin within the next couple of weeks. They are designed to last 40 years.
