New Alberta licence plate will feature Banff’s Moraine Lake alongside ‘Strong and Free’ motto
Posted November 18, 2025 12:29 pm.
Albertans have spoken.
A three-round battle with more than 240,000 votes cast has left an image of Banff’s Moraine Lake as the champion in a showdown to select Alberta’s new licence plate.
It all began in October, when Premier Danielle Smith presented eight proposed designs to be voted on by the public in a tournament-style online competition.
Other designs up for considered included a pumpjack, agricultural landscapes, the Three Sisters Mountains, and more.
The new design, which also features ‘Strong and Free’ as the provincial motto over ‘Wild Rose Country’ is the first plate redesign in more than four decades.
The province says ‘Strong and Free’ echoes Albertan’s Latin motto and references the Canadian national anthem
Officials say the phrase underscores Alberta’s economic strength and its role as a sovereign province within a united Canada.
The motto is also used by Smith’s United Conservative Party as part of its branding.
Albertans will be able to get ahold of the new plates starting mid-2026.
If an Albertan wants to replace their current plate for the new licence plate once it’s released, they can voluntarily pay a $28 fee.
Otherwise, drivers can get a new plate on their vehicle registration renewal date at no additional cost.
Use of existing licence plates will still be allowed when the new ones are introduced, as long as it is in good condition.
The current red and white plate was designed in 1984.
In 2021, new plates with the same design were introduced as reflective instead of painted.
The 2026 release will incorporate reflective technology to improve readability for law enforcement and automated systems in low-light conditions, as well as to meet international standards for visibility, legibility, and counterfeit resistance.
