Ontario to unveil new secure driver's licence

TORONTO - Ontario will unveil new, more secure driver's licences Friday to help prevent identity theft, and to serve as the base for a possible passport alternative.

The Canadian Press has learned the new licences will include at least six new security features, and will be given to every driver in the province when they renew their licences. A government source says the new licence will be more difficult to tamper with, to counterfeit and to use for identity theft.

The province also hopes to use it as a passport alternative in about a year, but first has to strike a deal with the federal government to access citizenship data.

Once that's done, drivers will have the choice of having their citizenship data added to the new licence so they can use it as an alternative to a passport to enter the U.S.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff confirmed last month that enhanced driver's licences will be accepted as alternatives to passports at the Canada-U.S. border.

Currently, Canadians only need a passport to enter the U.S. only by air.

© The Canadian Press, 2007