The Department of Transportation and Public Works has begun offering an enhanced driver’s license to Islanders.
The new driver’s license is part of an initiative of the four Atlantic provinces to collaborate on developing, procuring and implementing a single driver’s license system for citizens within their jurisdictions. The four Atlantic provinces jointly developed the project through an RFI and RFP process, ultimately tendering the project to Digimarc ID Canada Inc. The term of the contract signed between the four Atlantic provinces and Digimarc ID Canada Inc. is for up to eight years.
Among the advantages to this collaborative process are consistency of design, improved security features against identity theft and fraud, and reduced costs through economies of scale. Benefits will also accrue in areas of law enforcement as well as trade, transportation and tourism.
“Mutual cooperation in the transportation sector has been a goal that we have been pursuing at the direction of the Council of the Atlantic Premiers,” said Transportation and Public Works Minister Gail Shea. “This project is a great example of how such cooperation can benefit us all in terms of reduced cost, improved service delivery and enhanced personal security.”
The new driver's license includes a variety of features to enhance its security as a document. These new features are consistent with security protocols developed by the CCMTA (Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators) and its sister organization AAMVA (American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators). Some of the new security features include holographic imaging and microprinting to help protect citizens against identity theft and fraud. These new features will supplement tightened protocols and enhanced staff training already implemented surrounding the issuance of secure documents in a post-9/11 environment.
“The new driver’s license will be the most secure over the counter driver's license and government issued ID in North America, according to the vendor. By working with our sister provinces we are proud to be taking a lead role in raising the bar when it comes to document security. By adopting the approach that we have there will also be savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars generated for Island taxpayers over the life of the contract,” said Shea.
Shea noted that the new license will be rolled out to citizens as they renew their license at Highway Safety offices or their local Access PEI location and that there will be no additional cost for this product. There are approximately 100,000 driver’s licenses issued on Prince Edward Island.