The provincial government has officially launched the Alberta Wallet.
The Alberta Wallet is a new digital tool that securely provides access to government-issued documents within a unified iOS, Android, or web app.
With participation optional, the first credential launched on the Alberta Wallet is the Mobile Health Card.
“Using the Alberta Wallet is voluntary and optional,” reads a fact sheet from the government. “You can continue to use physical cards if you prefer, or you can have both.”
The Mobile Health Card contains a user’s name, date of birth, and their personal health number. Healthcare facilities scan a QR code in the Mobile Health Card to access a Wallet holder’s information.
All health care providers will accept the Mobile Health Card. Locations without scanning technology will manually check digital documentation, the government says.
More documents will be added over time as the Wallet evolves into a hub for credentials “as part of ongoing modernization of government services.”
The Wallet builds on the Verified Alberta.ca Account program, which marked an initial step toward digitizing traditionally paper documentation.
Alberta claims that the Wallet is “protected by advanced encryption, ensuring that personal data stays secure,” adding that citizens “maintain complete authority over your digital documents and can remove them at any time.”
The Alberta Wallet is currently optimized for mobile phones, with plans to expand to support tablets in a future update.
Internet access is required for initial setup, updates, and when accessing digital documents. Offline features will be introduced in an upcoming release, according to Alberta.
No decision has yet been made regarding how long the current paper health cards will continue to be accepted by health providers, the Province noted.
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