One of the world’s leading digital security firms is expanding its partnership with the Province of Québec. Gemalto has announced that it will be creating new health insurance cards for the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ), adding the RAMQ’s 2.3 million health cards to the 1.7 million Québec driver’s licenses the company already produces for the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ).

According to Gemalto, the expanded partnership will offer greater security and convenience to Québec citizens. The new cards will be embossed and engraved in addition to the usual suite of built-in security features. Meanwhile, the RAMQ and the SAAQ will be able to issue health cards and driver’s licenses at the same time, a process that will cut costs and streamline the renewal process.    

“Being the first to emboss and engrave at the same time provides more options to our customers…and allows us to provide a lower risk of fraud and stronger, longer lasting cards to residents,” said Steve Purdy, the VP of State and Provincial Government Programs at Gemalto.

Of course, Québec is hardly the first local government to turn to Gemalto for secure identification documents. The company recently announced that it will be making laser-engraved polycarbonate driver’s licenses for the state of Alaska, and it is likely that other states will offer similar security upgrades in the months and years to come.