Alberta’s new Organ and Tissue Donation Registry is now up and running.

The Alberta Organ and Tissue Donation Registry will allow Albertans to sign up online and specify their wishes when it comes to organ and tissue donation.

For instance, donors can consent to donating all their organs and tissues for transplantation, or only selected organs. People can also choose whether they want their body to go for scientific research and medical education.

However, this is not a legally binding document, Alberta Health says families will still have the final say when it comes to organ donation.

The registry will be used as a way of confirming someone's intent. Alberta Health says people should still talk to their families about their wishes.

Once Albertans fill out the online form they must print it and either mail or fax a signed copy to the registry.

Alberta Health plans to make the online donor registry available at registry offices so that when someone goes in to renew or apply for a driver’s license they could sign up on the organ donation registry at the same time. However, Alberta Health hasn’t determined when that service will be available.

The next step, according to Alberta Health, is to establish a single agency to co-ordinate organ and tissue donations in the province.

The latest numbers from the Canadian Institute for Health Information shows that in Alberta there’s a growing waiting list for transplantation.

Heart: 23 patients

Lung (either a single or double lung): 67 patients

Liver: 106 patients

Kidney: 309 patients

(Source - Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2012)