With tighter rules looming, Saskatchewan is looking at an alternative to passports at the Canada-United States border.

Starting Jan. 31, proof of citizenship and government photo identification will be required for people who enter the U.S.

But politicians are still trying to make it easy for people to cross without jeopardizing security.

Saskatchewan Government Services Minister Dan D'Autremont, who was in Montana Tuesday for meetings with officials from Alberta, Montana and North Dakota, said the feeling is, it's too "onerous" to expect everybody who drives across the border to have a passport with them.

"Coming to Canada or going to the U.S. is less than, say, flying to Europe or flying to Asia," he said. "We've had generally an open-border policy up until now where you simply say 'I'm a Canadian citizen from Alida and I'm just going down to Minot to pick up my aunt' kind of thing."

The provincial government doesn't want tourism to suffer, because Americans don't want to get a passport to visit Canada.

D'Autremont said the politicians are looking for an alternative to passports. 

One option is an enhanced driver's licence, similar to what is used in B.C., he said.