Nova Scotia Tightens Birth Certificate Security

SERVICE N.S./MUNICIPAL RELATIONS--Nova Scotia Tightens Birth Certificate Security

The provincial government is tightening up application procedures for birth certificates. The changes come from a review of vital statistics practices, as governments in Canada and abroad look into domestic security measures following the events of Sept. 11.

Service Nova Scotia issues 40,000 birth certificates a year.

New restrictions on who can apply for one go into effect on February 15. Vital Statistics will issue a birth certificate only to the person named on the certificate, a parent or legal guardian or the administrator of the person's estate.

A person applying for their own birth certificate must provide their full name, date and place of birth, their parents' names and places of birth and their mother's maiden name, along with a valid street address and a daytime phone number. Post office box numbers will not be acceptable.

A parent applying for a child's birth certificate must be listed as the child's parent in Vital Statistics' records. Legal guardians and estate administrators must provide documentation to confirm their status.

Angus MacIsaac, Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations, said security is always a concern in this kind of operation.

"The province already meets national guidelines and security standards, and the extra precautions we are taking now will improve security without inconveniencing consumers," he said.

Security concerns are not restricted to government offices, said the minister.

Anyone who has a birth certificate should treat it as a valuable document. A birth certificate is a key to obtaining many privileges such as a driver's licence or a passport, a social insurance number or government benefits. That makes it an essential element of identity theft, a rising concern.

According to the Vital Statistics Security Council, which includes registrars and officials from across Canada, most identity theft situations involve an imposter using a valid certificate, often stolen documents. This is much more common than the use of counterfeit documents.

Birth certificates should be kept somewhere that is easily accessible, but out of the reach of thieves.

"People should not carry one of the short-form certificates in their purse or wallet," said Liz Crowley Meagher, deputy registrar of Vital Statistics. "Purses and wallets are lost or stolen every day."

Last fall, the government passed legislation that made crimes related to identity theft punishable by fines up to $50,000 and prison terms up to two years.

More security at Service Nova Scotia, and greater vigilance from certificate holders, will help to reduce the risk of identity theft.