Albertans can now vote for one of eight different licence plate designs, as the provincial government unveiled its plan to introduce new plates starting next year.
A tournament-style voting bracket and details of the designs were revealed at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.
The new designs will all include the slogan “Strong and Free,” which is Alberta’s motto.
“The motto’s inclusion on the licence plate will also serve as a nod to Canada’s national anthem and Alberta’s position as a strong and sovereign province within a united Canada,” Premier Danielle Smith said.
Residents can visit a page on the province’s website and vote for their favourite design until Nov. 5.
The design options feature different landscapes and some feature pumpjacks and cowboys.
“The images are more than decoration and they are a celebration of Alberta’s natural beauty and our shared identity,” Smith said.
“They are things we think about when we close our eyes and think of Alberta and what it means to be Albertan.”
Both Smith and Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally faced questions at the news conference about whether the inclusion of the motto was politically motivated, with reporters noting the slogan is used on the official United Conservative Party website.
“It’s our provincial motto. Let’s not be shy about it,” Nally said.
“It’s also in the [national] anthem, and let’s remember that when the King of England was here a few months ago doing the throne speech in Ottawa, he mentioned the words strong and free. So there is no political ideology that owns the corner on strong and free.”
Smith said the motto is “neutral language,” and that it was odd that the slogan wasn’t already being used on the plates.
Nally said his ministry did not receive additional funds to overhaul the provincial licence plate design. He said the cost is being absorbed by his current budget.
Nally said he expected the “implementation costs” of the new plates to be anywhere between $25,000 and $50,000.
Alberta’s current licence plate design, which says “Wild Rose Country,” has been used for decades and features the provincial flower. All the new designs Albertans can vote for still feature a wild rose.
In a news release issued Wednesday, the province said any Albertan who wants to replace their current plate with one featuring the new design when it’s released can voluntarily pay a $28 fee to do so.
“Alternatively, Albertans could obtain a new plate on their vehicle registration renewal date at no additional cost,” the news release said. “Motorists may also continue using the previous licence plate once the new licence plate is brought onboard, provided it is still in good condition.”
