Alberta Unveils Plans to Change Licence Plate Slogan to ‘Strong and Free’

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, right, and Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally, announce a voting period for Alberta's new licence plates in Edmonton, on Oct. 15, 2025. The Canadian Press/Amber Bracken

Alberta has announced plans to change its licence plate slogan from “Wild Rose Country” to “Strong and Free.”

The new plate design will be available by late 2026, Premier Danielle Smith and Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally announced during an Oct. 15 press conference.

Albertans will be able to choose their favourite design, selecting from eight options in a tournament style vote online, the province said. The second online voting phase will decide between the four top designs that received the most votes in the first round. Once the top two are chosen, one last vote will be held to decide the winning design.

Image choices include Alberta landmarks like the Three Sisters Mountains and Moraine Lake or symbols of agriculture or energy production, such as cowboys or pumpjacks.

The new theme is based on the Latin motto for the province, Smith said, noting that it also pays tribute to Canada’s national anthem and “Alberta’s position as a strong and sovereign province within a united Canada.”

Nally said he expects the implementation cost for the new design to be between $25,000 and $50,000.

Nally said the provincial licence plate “is like our business card to the world,” noting it’s the first thing travellers see when they cross over Alberta’s borders.

Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi told reporters that the announcement was a distraction from more pressing issues, including the ongoing province-wide teachers strike. He characterized the slogan choice as political, saying the lettering is being switched to “Tory” blue.

The Strong and Free slogan has been used by Smith’s United Conservative Party in campaigns and promotional material, but Smith told reporters there is nothing political about the motto.

“This is neutral language. This is in the national anthem. This is mentioned in speeches from every person from every political stripe,” she said. ”It’s actually sort of odd that this wasn’t on the licence plate to begin with, since it’s our provincial motto.”

Licence Vote

Online voting began Oct. 15 and will run through Nov. 5. Nally said the final winning design will be unveiled during the fall session of the legislature.

Those looking to swap their licence plates when the new design is released will need to pay a $28 fee. Alternatively, drivers can replace their current licence plate with the new design at no cost when their plates are up for renewal, the government said.

Alberta’s last license plate design was released in 1984.

The province said the new design will incorporate reflective technology to improve readability for police and automated systems in low-light conditions, as well as international standards for legibility and counterfeit resistance.

The Canadian Press contributed to this article.