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By Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press

Provincial Politics

Alberta government lets ban on police ‘carding’ expire, says other protections exist

Sep 18, 2025 | 2:02 PM

The Alberta government has chosen not to renew its ban on the practice of “carding” by police officers.

The provincial regulation enforcing the ban was due for renewal this past summer, but a government letter to the Edmonton Police Commission says the province wouldn’t be renewing it.

Carding refers to police officers stopping members of the public without reason and asking for identification.

Advocates have said the practice largely amounts to racial profiling, as statistics across Canada have shown people of colour are more likely to be carded than white people.

Alberta formally banned the practice in 2021 and set new rules for other situations where officers ask the public for identification.

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The province’s justice minister at the time touted the move as ensuring police officers respected Albertans’ rights, but the government now says there are existing ways citizens can seek justice if they feel they’ve been treated unfairly by police.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2025.