YELLOWKNIFE (April 7, 2006 ) – A new Northwest Territories (NWT) Driver’s Licence and General Identification Card (GIC), with design and security features that make them among the best in the world, were unveiled today by Transportation Minister Michael McLeod.

The new cards will be available to NWT residents in the summer of 2006. “When these new documents become available to the public, it will be the first comprehensive upgrade to the territory’s driver’s licence since it was developed 15 years ago,” Minister McLeod said.

The current driver’s licence and GIC had to be replaced because they do not meet new security standards adopted across North America for these types of documents following the events of September 11, 2001. “These new documents incorporate a number of unique security features making them resistant to tampering and reducing the potential for identify fraud,” said Minister McLeod. “Besides better protection, NWT residents will also benefit from having identification that will be more acceptable when traveling or relocating.”

Canadian Bank Note Limited, a world leader in the field of secure identification systems, will produce the new documents for the Department of Transportation. They will be available as the department’s 16 issuing offices across the territory convert, in phases, to the new system over the course of the summer.

Once the new system is in place, there will be one noticeable difference in the process to obtain a new driver’s licence. After identification requirements are satisfied, the issuing office will give a client a temporary driver’s licence. Canadian Bank Note will produce the final document at its facility in Ottawa and mail it to the client. It is anticipated the whole process will take between two and four weeks.

Beginning in September, the Department of Transportation will expand another area of its service to the public. It plans to re-introduce the practice of mailing out notices to remind drivers that licence expiry dates are approaching.

For more information, contact:
Bob Kelly
Manager, Public Affairs and Communications
Department of Transportation
Tel: (867) 873-7712