News

Canada implements border-security program

August 26, 2003

BEDFORD, N.H. -- Canada is implementing a multi-phase program for improved airport and border security. The program, which affects airport check-in kiosks, will examine passports, driver's licenses and travel visas.

Imaging Automation, provider of document-authentication and identity-verification technologies, announced that Canada has integrated the iA-thenticate platform with the new CANPASS-Air program as the second phase of an ongoing five-year deployment, a news release said.

As part of the first phase, the government installed the iA-thenticate BorderGuard platform at the 40 most heavily trafficked points of entry for major border crossings. In the second phase, CANPASS-Air checks travelers against a security system as if they were meeting an officer in person.

The program, officially launched in July at Vancouver International Airport, was designed to balance security with ease of travel.

Later this year, CANPASS-Air Kiosks will open at Dorval International Airport, Montreal, MacDonald-Cartier International Airport, Ottawa, Lester B. Pearson International Airport, Toronto, Calgary International Airport, Edmonton International Airport, Halifax International Airport and Winnipeg International Airport.

The iA-thenticate platform determines whether or not a document is authentic, if it is expired, if it has been tampered with, or if the photo or text matches any government watch lists.

The iA-thenticate platform performs multiple security checks in seconds and can be easily integrated with other technologies, such as the iris-recognition biometrics used in the CANPASS-Air program, according to the release.