Saskatchewan's new photo identification card made its red carpet debut when the International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA) gave it the award for Best Government Identification Card. The card was given the distinction after a panel of industry experts recognized the card for its design and technical features at the ICMA annual Élan Awards for Card Manufacturing Excellence on May 3.
"SGI and Canadian Bank Note, the card's manufacturer, put a lot of thought and effort into the artwork and features of the new photo ID card to ensure it captured the essence of Saskatchewan," Minister responsible for SGI Tim McMillan said. "We were already proud of how secure the card is and the way it showcases the beauty of our province, but it's great to see it getting international recognition."
The Élan Awards recognizes the world-wide cream of the crop in card design and innovation. The Government Identification Card category winner is chosen based on the card's design creativity, attractiveness, use for identification and government services based on appearance, technical advances and security standards.
"The Élan awards are coveted for being an international showcase of card excellence," Canadian Bank Note Company Identification and Payment Systems President Ian Shaw said. "Winning this award distinguishes the card before peers, customers and industry leaders."
SGI's photo identification card was also a finalist in the Judge's Choice category, where the judges choose their favourite card from all entries. The card is provided to any Saskatchewan resident who needs a photo identification card, and its design is similar to the new one-part driver's licence.
