New Brunswick has unveiled a state-of-the-art birth certificate that includes 20 new security features.

The high-tech, passport-size document, made of a polymer material, is not a required upgrade for New Brunswickers with the old paper documents.

The new birth certificates will be issued automatically to anyone born in the province from now on. And other New Brunswickers who would like a more secure certificate can buy one for prices starting at $20, based on size.

Greg Byrne, minister responsible for supply and service, said the new document is meant to minimize the risk of identity theft.

"Better protection against identity theft and tampering is needed in today's world," said Byrne. "In the interest of security, it's important to take advantage of changing technology."

Seen as foundation document

The birth certificates are printed by the same company that prints Canadian currency and are designed to be difficult to reproduce illegally.

"People who are travelling fairly regularly and crossing international borders, that would certainly be recommended," Byrne said.

But the document is not meant as a form of identification that could replace passports at border crossings, Byrne said.

"It is really a foundation document to obtain other documents, such as a social security card."

With files from the Canadian Press