Province delivers new birth certificates

The province has unveiled new Ontario birth certificates that are more durable and secure than older certificates, thanks to a new polymer material and added security features.

Premier Kathleen Wynne unveiled the new Ontario birth certificates Tuesday at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. Birth certificates are important documents used to obtain other ID. Making them more secure will help prevent identity theft and fraud.

The polymer birth certificates have a variety of embedded security features, including raised print, transparent windows and colour-shifting images. They are also more durable and easier to clean than the current paper certificates.
With normal use, they will last a person a lifetime.

The new design and material will not increase the cost of ordering a birth certificate.

“I am always looking for ways our government can help make everyday life easier for Ontarians, and these new polymer birth certificates do just that,” Wynne said in a press release. “Having a safe and durable birth certificate will provide more security and help protect people from fraud and identify theft.”

The new polymer birth certificates will become available April 15, 2015.

Ontario issues around 200,000 birth certificates each year.