New Ontario ID card sees successful launch
[attach]4686[/attach]On July 25 I was proud to announce the launch of the new Ontario photo ID card for people without a driver’s licence in Ontario. This project was a personal priority of mine when I became the Minister of Transportation in January 2010.
There are over 1.5 million people in Ontario over the age of 16 who do not have a driver’s license. This includes some of our most vulnerable populations like people with disabilities, seniors and the homeless.
Shortly after I became the minister I had a meeting with advocates from the visually impaired community. They asked me to move forward on a project that would allow them to get a non-drivers driver’s license. Until then, I had not fully appreciated the barriers that exist for people who do not have a driver’s licence for identification.
As drivers, we often take for granted how often we are asked to provide photo ID for everyday tasks. Everybody should have the right to identify themselves easily at a store, a bank or at a polling station to vote.
I’m sure all of us know someone who either chooses not to or is unable to drive for different reasons.
The numbers speak for themselves; we received over 2,200 applications for the photo card in the first week the card was launched at 21 ServiceOntario locations. In 2012, the photo card will be available at all 300 ServiceOntario locations across Ontario making it more accessible to everyone who wants or needs one.
Finally, I would like to recognize the over 70 organizations and groups who advocated on behalf of their members to make this card possible.
For more information on how and where you can apply for a photo card, please visit serviceontario.ca.