The Ontario government plans to introduce optional digital identification, starting with a digital version of the Ontario Photo Card, as a first step toward offering digital driver’s licences and health cards.
The province plans to begin consultations on the credentials in late 2026, ahead of launching the digital photo card, which serves as identification for people without a driver’s licence.
The province would introduce legislation to permanently guarantee that residents will still be able to have physical cards, while pursuing measures to lower costs, it said in an Oct. 23 news release.
“As we modernize government services, we’re making identification more secure, convenient and cost-effective,” said Stephen Crawford, Ontario’s minister of public and business service delivery.
Digital credentials would be more secure and reduce the risk of loss or theft, including identity theft, the province said.
The digital photo card’s adoption and use would serve as a test case for the subsequent introduction of digital driver’s licences and health cards, the province added.
Legislation guaranteeing the right to obtain and use only physical cards will be introduced in late 2027. The province did not say whether the digital photo card would be released before the legislation is introduced.
The government said that all digital credentials would be optional and that it would engage ministries and stakeholders including the public to ensure privacy protections.
The province first proposed digital credentials in February 2021, saying they could simplify access to services, reduce paperwork, combat identity fraud, and give users greater control over what identify information is shared and with whom.
Ontario’s information and privacy commissioner (IPC) responded to the government’s proposed digital ID program in September 2021, saying digital ID could offer benefits but calling for stronger privacy laws, independent oversight and enforcement by the IPC, and safeguards against misuse.
The commissioner’s office recommended defining strong limits on data collection, retention, and use of identifiers associated with users’ network access, mobile device, and wallet software. It also advised maintaining physical ID options and ensuring people who decline digital ID could still access government services.
The government said it would not store digital IDs in a central database or use the system to track people’s activities and whereabouts. Nevertheless, the commissioner’s office warned that details of transactions with government or private sector organizations could still be used to track and profile individuals during the course of providing a service.
A survey released in April 2022 by the Digital ID and Authentication Council of Canada indicated that 78 percent of respondents said it is important for both the federal and provincial governments to move quickly on enabling a safe and secure digital ID for all Canadians.
A strong majority said they should have access to the personal data collected about them by the federal government (91 percent), the provincial government (91 percent), and private companies (86 percent).
While respondents saw the main benefits of digital identity being an easy way to verify one’s identity and reduce fraud, there is more skepticism around the protection of personal information.
The survey was not specifically about Ontario’s proposed credentials. It was conducted online with 1,500 Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic, which the report identified as a factor influencing attitudes toward digital transactions.
Alberta and British Columbia already offer government-issued digital credentials, while Quebec is developing a digital identity program for its residents
