Legal &
Changing Identity Documents
... Updating All Your Documents & Files ...
Your child may wish to change their name and maybe their gender marker. Often they will use the name and pronoun socially but not legally. Should they wish to legally change their name and/or their gender marker, there are forms to be filled out and submitted to the provincial or federal government, depending on which government body is responsible for issuing (e.g.) a change of name document, birth certificate, passport, etc. The procedures vary for minor children versus 18 years and older.
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HELP with AMENDING NAME
and/or GENDER MARKER
on IDENTITY DOCUMENTS in ALBERTA
​SKIPPING STONE
Skipping Stone Foundation. Calgary. Booklet. Second edn, Sept 2021.
*NOTE*: This document also includes procedures for other provinces aside from Alberta.
​“Skipping Stone has been an active advocate for years in support of removing the barriers to trans and gender diverse individuals accessing name and gender marker amendments on identification. This guide is a further step in providing comprehensive and low barrier access to information about the ID change process in Alberta. In this guide, we have laid out the step by step processes, with accompanying required documentation, required to amend a name and/or gender marker.”
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Skipping Stone. Calgary area.
"Skipping Stone offers monthly Trans ID Clinics. If you're looking to get going on amending your name or gender marker on your identification, we're here to help. Available by walk-in or appointment."
Calgary area only for walk-ins or appointments, but if you live in Alberta but cannot come in, you can contact them and someone will assist you.
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U of A & STUDENT LEGAL SERVICES
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Student Legal Services of Edmonton.
(780) 492-8287
Contact Student Legal Services for information on their next Clinic date, or Zoom option.
"Partnered with U of A Hospital’s Gender Program, the Trans ID Clinic works to aid members of Edmonton’s transgender community in filing paperwork to change their names, and/or change their gender identity markers on government issued ID."
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TRANS EQUALITY SOCIETY OF ALBERTA
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​Fact Page: Alberta Identity Documents
By TESA (Trans Equality Society of Alberta)
Fact page on information and guidelines for changing identity documents in Alberta.
Click here for website.
Click to see Fact Pages.
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TRANS PULSE CANADA STUDY
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​Responsive report – Non-binary people and identity documents
TransPulse Canada Study. 2019
“Trans PULSE Canada is a community-based survey of the health and well-being of trans, non-binary and two spirit people in Canada. The national survey collected data over the course of ten weeks in the summer of 2019. The project collected survey data from 2,873 trans and non-binary people.
​Click for list of all Research Reports.
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TRANS WELLNESS INITIATIVE
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Trans Wellness Initiative.
Guidelines for changing identity documents.
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INFOGRAPHIC CREDIT:
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BearPaw Legal Resources, Native
Counselling Services of Alberta, 2020.
Click to go to BearPaw site.
Click to download .PDF.
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GOVERNMENT of ALBERTA
Apply for a legal change of name
Find out how to legally change your name in Alberta.
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​Sex indicator amendment on an Alberta birth record
A person’s sex indicator on their Alberta birth record may be amended to M, F or X. Charge of $20 (as at 7/2021)
​Find a registry agent*
Service Alberta provincial government website.
“Registry agents offer registration, information and licensing services on behalf of government.”
​Vital Statistics forms
Forms for ordering documents, requesting updates, and applying to access vital statistics records.
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ALBERTA DRIVER’S LICENSE CHANGES
”You have to update your driver’s licence or vehicle registration within 14 days of a change to your personal information.”
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​​Change of name and amend sex information
Alberta Government.
Gives guidelines for adults and parents of minors to change name and/or sex information.
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Traffic Safety Act. Operator Licensing and Vehicle Control Regulation. Alberta Regulation 320/2002
Section 20 (3) Change in particulars (e.g. change of name)
Section 20.1(1) Amendment of sex on an operator’s licence – eligibility to apply
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x
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Deadnaming: How using the wrong name can affect mental health
Deadnaming is when someone refers to a trans or nonbinary person by a name they no longer use - Here’s how it can affect mental health
Written by Andrea Rice for PsychCentral on Nov 5, 2021. Medically reviewed by Francis Kuehnle, MSN, RN-BC.
"For many transgender and nonbinary people, a name change is a powerfully affirming part of living their true gender. It’s an opportunity to choose a name that feels like a better representation of their gender identity.
After changing their name, many people find that reminders of their old name — typically the name they were given at birth — induces anxiety, gender dysphoria, and a sense of not being seen as their true gender.
While occasional slip-ups from family and friends are inevitable at the start, if your name, pronouns, or ultimately your identity aren’t respected and used by those around you, it can feel deeply invalidating, with various mental health effects.
Specifically for trans and nonbinary people, hearing your old name can induce feelings of anxiety, gender dysphoria, and a lack of acceptance. And depending on the situation, it can make you fearful of your safety."
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Changing your sex marker on your Alberta ID- wallet card
Bear Paw Legal Resources.
"You can download a digital copy of the Changing Your Sex Marker on Your Alberta ID Wallet Card or order a physical copy in the mail. All mailed copies of the wallet card come in packs of 25 cards. All publications and videos are free of charge. Videos come loaded on a USB card. Shipping costs are not included and must be paid at checkout. If you are experiencing financial barriers to pay for shipping please contact: bearpawlegal@ncsa.ca.
Now you can change your sex marker on your Alberta I.D. to “X”, “F” (female), or “M” (male) to represent your gender identity (how you define your gender) and expression (how you present your gender). Learn about the steps to take in this easy to understand wallet card.
Resource type: Wallet Card. Wallet cards are in packages of 25."
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FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
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PASSPORT CHANGES
​Changing the name on your passport or travel document
Government of Canada
The surname (last name) and given names on your passport or travel document must be the same as the one on your birth certificate or Canadian citizenship certificate.
Choose or update the gender identifier on your passport or travel document
There are 3 options for the “sex” field on passports for Canadians and travel documents for non-Canadians:
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F—female
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M—male
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X—another gender
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How you choose your gender identifier depends on
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the type of travel document
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if you’re applying for a new travel document or updating the one you already have
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TRAVEL FOR TRANS CANADIANS
By Angela Reid. TESA (Trans Equality Society of Alberta). 2012.
“Simplified overview of obtaining air travel documents for trans Canadians.”
NOTE: use as a guideline, but requirements may have changed.
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Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics
By the Government of Canada.
"Foreign laws and customs related to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) can be very different from those in Canada. As a result, you could face certain barriers and risks when you travel outside Canada. Research and prepare for your trip in advance to help your travels go smoothly."
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US TRAVEL
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Know your rights: Airport security (USA)
By the National Center for Transgender Equality. Washington, DC.
"The right to travel freely is a fundamental human right, yet travelers across the country continue to express concerns about the intrusive security screening procedures used by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). These procedures can be invasive of everyone’s privacy and are of particular concern to transgender people because of their potential to 'out' people in unsafe ways, potentially leading to harassment and discrimination. Most of the time, however, transgender people are able to proceed through security without incident. This guide answers common questions trans people may have about airport security procedures and outlines steps individuals can take to prevent and respond to problems at the airport."
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LEGAL
ALBERTA
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McCartney vs Nartey
Filed Sept 2020, heard Feb 2021. Alberta.
Recent Alberta court case allowing one parent to make decisions on trans care of minor child.
By Jake and Meaghan Ray. Purple and Green and the Life In Between. Podcast post, Season 1, Episode 8. Feb 2020. (Alberta)
“We start by talking about Meaghan Ray’s thoughts on top surgery because we didn’t have time in the previous episode. Then we talk about Jake’s process of changing his legal name and gender marker, Meaghan Ray’s role as his partner through that process, and Meaghan Ray’s thoughts on potentially changing their name and gender marker in the future. This is the last episode in this series which has focused on the various stages of transition as we have experienced them so far.“
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My husband’s transition: A partner perspective (Part 3: Medical and legal transition)
By Meaghan Ray. Purple and Green and the Life In Between blog post. Jul 2018. (Alberta)
Affirming lawyer. Edmonton.
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CANADA
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"Pride@Blakes is a national network of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer/questioning (LGBTQI2S+) professionals. Our Pride@Blakes team supports our people and builds connections with our LGBTQI2S+ clients and the diverse communities in which we live and work. Founded in 1999, it is one of the largest LGBTQI2S+ affinity groups at any Canadian law firm. Through workshops, seminars, gatherings and community outreach, we are building a more diverse, thoughtful, effective and engaging legal profession."
--- Pride at Work Canada: A national umbrella organization dedicated to improving workplace inclusiveness for LGBTQI2S+employees across the country. Blakes has been a long-standing national partner member.
--- Pro Bono Cases: Many pro bono cases for equity-seeking groups, including those with special relevance to LGBTQI2S+ people, such as representing the Calgary Sexual Health Centre in defending Gay-Straight Alliances in Alberta"
https://www.blakes.com/about/diversity-inclusion/pride@blakes
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Eliminating barriers for transgender customers should be an urgent priority for banks and other businesses
By Rita Trichur. The Globe and Mail. Published June 25, 2021
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Information for transgender voters
Guidelines for the 2021 federal election.
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"This site is designed to provide Two Spirit, trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming communities in Canada with relevant and up-to-date legal information. Our information is broken down into national legal issues and provincial legal issues, as many laws change between each province or territory. Use the provincial info tab on our header to find your province or territory, and then if the information you are looking for is not there please look to the national info page. Note that we do not and cannot provide legal advice, and this information is provided for general education purposes only (please see our disclaimer for more details). "
*** Click to go to Alberta page ***
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Sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression
By the Canadian Bar Association.
“All children and youth have the right to be free from discrimination because of sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. This right is founded in Article 2 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, and provincial and territorial human rights legislation. Legislative protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation has been in place for some time. As of 2017, gender identity or gender expression has been explicitly codified in all human rights legislation at the provincial, territorial, and federal level.”
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​OTHER PROVINCES
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Trans Parents & Family Law – Tip Sheet
By LGBTQ Parenting Network, Sherbourne Health Centre. 2014. (Ontario)
Basic family law information for trans parents and their families in Ontario.
Ontario-based but may help with terminology to search Alberta resources.
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WHAT YOU MIGHT NEED to UPDATE a
CHANGE OF NAME and/or GENDER MARKER
​​​​Suggestions to consider (with a few additions):
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Alumni
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Canadian (federal) government (Social Insurance Number, Canada Revenue Agency, Canada Student Loans, Canadian passport, Elections Canada, Indigenous Services Canada….)
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Provincial government (government ID, driver’s licence, vehicle registration, elections, health care, land titles office, medical or health plan…)
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Associations
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Banks (savings, chequing accounts,….)
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Children - school (school child is attending, school board, provincial school record...)
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Child's school (your revised info as a parent contact)
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Colleges
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Communications & TV (cell phone, cable, internet, pay TV…)
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Credit cards & store cards
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Employers (email, business cards, directory listings, insurance, pension…)
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Fitness memberships
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Insurance (health, vehicle, home, life, income)
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Investments
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Loans (mortgage, car, personal, student…)
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Loyalty programs (e.g. Aeroplan, Airmiles, Esso Extra, Indigo iRewards, PC Optimum, Petro Points, PetSmart, travel & shopping rewards…)
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Marriage certificates
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Memberships (AMA, Costco, mortgage carriers, sports clubs…)
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Online (ebay, PayPal, Amazon….)
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Pets - license or chip information (your contact info)
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Professional memberships
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Property title/tax for property owners
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Rental / landlord
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Retirement plans & pension accounts
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Social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn…)
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Universities
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Utilities (e.g power, gas, water)
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Vehicles (driver’s license, vehicle registration)
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Voicemail
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Wills
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​NOTE: The Trans ID Alberta booklet also has a list of where to change your personal information:
​Trans ID Alberta: A comprehensive guide to name & gender marker amendments on identification in Alberta for trans and gender diverse individual
Skipping Stone Foundation. Calgary. Booklet. Second edn, Sept 2021.
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​POLITICAL REPRESENTATION
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MLA Alberta
NDP Critic for Women and LGBTQ issues
Click to go to her Facebook page.
Suite 201, 10544 - 114 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta T5H 3J7
1-800-465-6587 Toll-free number
1-780-474-2415 Phone
1-780-669-9617 Fax
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Personal emails to: Janis.Irwin@assembly.ab.ca
"Janis Irwin is dedicated to making Alberta a welcoming and inclusive place for all. She has been the representative for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood since 2019 and is currently the Critic for Women and 2SLGBTQ+ Issues.
Janis built a career in education, starting in rural Alberta as a high school teacher and vice-principal, and then in Edmonton, where she worked for years in curriculum development with Alberta Education."
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FEDERAL MP
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Federal MP as of September 2021. Edmonton Griesbach riding.
Canada's first openly Two Spirit Member of Parliament and Alberta’s only Indigenous MP.
Click to go to Facebook page.
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