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Statement from the Minister of Government and Consumer Services on Enhanced Licence Plates

Today, the Government of Ontario and 3M Canada restated their commitment to work in partnership to resolve issues that have been raised about the current Ontario licence plates. A solution is being implemented which includes a replacement plan for impacted licence plate holders.

Government and Consumer Services Minister Lisa Thompson explained in a media release, “The Government of Ontario and 3M Canada are working in partnership to resolve issues that have been raised about the new Ontario licence plates. We take these concerns seriously and together have put a plan in place to deliver an enhanced new plate. 3M Canada is providing material to the Province and testing is being completed by law enforcement and key stakeholders. Manufacturing of the new enhanced plates is expected to begin within two weeks and they will be distributed shortly afterwards. We are pleased to have reached a resolution to this matter at no cost to Ontario taxpayers. We look forward to providing further updates in the coming days to inform Ontario drivers.”

  • The government and 3M Canada are working in partnership to resolve issues that have been raised about the current Ontario licence plates.
  • The concerns have been taken seriously and both parties have put a plan in place to deliver a new enhanced licence plate. 3M is providing material to the Province and testing is being completed by law enforcement and key stakeholders.
  • The government is pleased to have reached a resolution to this matter at no cost to Ontario taxpayers. We look forward to providing further updates in the coming days to inform Ontario drivers.

Interim Plan

  • As an immediate measure, distribution of the current Ontario licence plate will stop as of end of day March 4, 2020. While the current Ontario licence plate does not pose a safety risk, this action will minimize the number of Ontarians who will need replacement plates.
  • Starting March 5, 2020, remaining white embossed licence plates will be temporarily issued. For cost efficiency, white embossed plates will be issued until the existing supply of material is used up.
  • Distribution of a new enhanced licence plate will start the week of March 16, 2020. When a ServiceOntario centre exhausts its stock of white embossed plates, it will start distributing the new enhanced plate.
  • Customers who receive white embossed plates in the interim period will not receive new enhanced plates to replace them unless they are damaged, delaminated, lost or stolen.

Replacement Plan

  • To all consumers who have been issued the current licence plate, the government  is committed to implementing a replacement plan in a timely, secure and efficient manner.
  • Each Ontarian who has received a licence plate since February 1, 2020 will be contacted directly by mail with instructions on how to replace the current plates with new enhanced licence plates.
  • All licence plates have a unique alphanumeric series. Each new enhanced plate will also have a unique alphanumeric series different from all previously issued plates.
  • Licence plate validation stickers will be reissued with new enhanced plates.
  • All remaining stock of the current plate will be recycled.
  • Since February 1, and as of close of business February 26, approximately 71,000 blue licence plates have been issued to customers which represents less than 1% of the 7.6M active passenger plates in Ontario.
  • Current licence plate holders can also visit Ontario.ca/ReplacePlates for more information. Details of the replacement plan will also be updated online.
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