The Government of Canada says it’s not planning to create a national digital ID that Canadians can use to access services.
As spotted by Canadian academic Michael Geist, the subject came up in a sessional paper response released this week. During this meeting, Conservative MP for Sarnia-Lambton Marilyn Gladu asked: “With regard to the government’s implementation of a digital identification that will be mandatory to access government services and pay taxes: what is the plan and progress of the government on the implementation of a digital identification and what are the implementation dates for each phase?”
In response, the federal government said it’s “not implementing a federal or national digital identification credential.” The government says it’s “making it easier for people, businesses and organizations to seamlessly and securely access digital services” as part of Service Canada’s Canadian Digital Service. These efforts, it says, include “common platforms and infrastructure that will enable federal departments to offer and verify digital versions of existing physical credentials (GC Issue and Verify) such as permits and licenses, and to authenticate users of Government of Canada services in a consistent way through a new, modern, sign-in platform (GC Sign in) for those who choose to use digital services.”
The government says “access to federal services is not contingent on a digital identity,” and digital credentials are digital versions of their physical counterparts that are already being used by departments and agencies. Therefore, the government says it will remain “completely voluntary” for Canadian people and businesses to use online services where applicable. For instance, it noted that digital credentials are already in use as an additional means of authentication, but are voluntary when it comes to accessing Government of Canada services.
Going forward, the government says it will continue to build on its GC Sign In, a tool it launched last year to streamline how Canadians access government services through a single username and password. Planned changes in the short term include stronger security features and improved account recovery, while those for 2026 to 2027 and beyond include more flexible identity verification options (online, in-person, mail) and supporting provincial/territorial digital credentials.
Debates surrounding a potential national ID cards in Canada go back many years. Some people, especially in other countries, say they like having one unified piece of ID that can be used in areas like travel, driving, and banking. However, others, like the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, argue that such IDs present a number of issues, including privacy concerns and high development and implementation costs.
While the matter will no doubt come up again at some point, these latest comments from the government suggest that it’s been tabled for now, at least.
Source: Government of Canada Via: Michael Geist
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