Yearly Archives: 2018

Digital ID is Key to Canada’s Digital Revolution: Read DIACC Input to the National Digital and Data Consultations

On October 12, 2018, the federal government concluded their National Digital and Data Consultations, as part of their strategy to better understand how Canada can drive innovation, increase confidence in how citizen data is used, and prepare Canadians for the future of work and interaction in an increasingly digital world.

As part of the Government of Canada’s innovation plan, they looked to Canadians to share their views on what Canada needs to do to be at the forefront of a competitive, data-driven digital economy.

Members of DIACC participated in the consultation, representing diverse opinions of organizations in telecommunications, digital payment, authentication and more. DIACC’s members represent a mix of industries leading the charge in digital systems and innovation nationwide. Members answered 14 questions surrounding how Canada can improve digital access for all, what kind of regulations should be in place, and how Canadians feel about their privacy and security of data.

Key takeaways from DIACC members include:

1)    Canadians haven’t been taught enough about how their data is used and the important role it plays in their lives and the economy

Education is critical. Canadians don’t know enough about the power, opportunities, and risks associated with data and, as such, they do not fully understand the impact that data will have on their lives and the economy. Consider the world before connecting the power grid.  Most people could not understand the significant impact that access to consistent and reliable power would bring. Without the power grid we would not have computers or the internet. The impacts of data (both small and large) are difficult to imagine and comprehend.

In line with this, it’s also critical for subject matter experts’ to advocate for proper safeguards to be put in place to ensure that power is not abused.

2) Privacy and innovation go hand in hand

New innovation must have privacy measures considered and built in at all stages rather than contemplated at the very end. Canada should take this opportunity to focus on privacy as an empowering function in addition to being a protection. Canadian governments have the opportunity to issue digital evidence of identity and to make the value of that evidence available for Canadians to use in public and private sector contexts. DIACC members work to advance identity interoperability of identity capabilities so that Canadian startups, enterprises, and governments don’t need to solve for identity – or even worse – don’t solve for identity in a way that may be detrimental to their clients. The right identity solutions will free up Canadians to start businesses and transact with security, privacy, and convenience.

The Pan-Canadian Trust Framework – a set of industry standards and best practices – will play a key role in securing needed interoperability of privacy, security, and convenience of use of public and private sector identity solutions. Canadian public and private sector leaders are investing in identity by participating in DIACC to deliver the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework. 

Innovative approaches to privacy and privacy-forward innovation are possible – and a key piece of our future.

3) While privacy is king, focus needs to evolve from “protecting” to “protecting and enabling” to improve digital access and ensure Canadians can fully participate in the modern economy  

Ultimately, protection of personal data and privacy must always be the first priority, especially as industries adopt innovative approaches to consumer transactions and digital identity. Governments and industries need to engage Canadian citizens to understand their views with respect to digital access, data, privacy, consent, and trust. Governments and industries need to ensure that appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks are in place to match these views and provide a foundation for technological, societal, and economic innovation.

Once this is in place, Canada can build on our notions of privacy and evolve from the foundation of purely protective thinking and toward protection, empowerment, and functional thinking. These subtle changes will help to ensure that transactions can occur everywhere from cities to remote settings and with security, privacy, and convenience. This is key to enabling all Canadians to have the opportunity to access resources, start a new business, develop a new technology, and more.

4) Canada has a strong regulatory foundation in place – but we must move quickly to support citizen access and privacy rights and to empower business competitiveness globally

Laws and regulations need to evolve to keep up with the interpretation and/or application (including the violation) of privacy rights. Small businesses may be more nimble when it comes to encouraging new system architectures and challenging the status quo.

Consumers need to play a role in protecting themselves online. Secure tools for information sharing, as well as greater education would help. Business competitiveness is comprised of more than regulations (e.g. tax structures, etc.). However, in a digital context, digital identity, documentation and verification could create efficiencies, reduce operational costs and yield unrealized economic potential.

We must evolve toward proportionality of access, engagement, and user management of data. Canada could do more to stimulate small businesses – particularly supporting open source developers, paths for SMEs to grow, and connecting governments to service providers. It is always a good idea to support Canadians who are innovating.

5) The world is interconnected, which means privacy rights extend beyond Canadian laws

Thinking about privacy in a purely Canadian context is challenging in a connected world. We would like to better understand Canada’s strategy for privacy in the context of a connected world – a world that we don’t fully control or have protective rights within. 

Careful review of privacy and transparency considerations are also necessary in the business context of corporate officers, directors, and beneficial owners.

6) Individuals, businesses, and government all have to step up when it comes to protecting their data

Individuals need to be informed to make better decisions and given tools to engage in a more proportional way to access, manage, and safeguard data about them.

Businesses need to minimize data collection and only collect data that is necessary to complete a transaction. They need to make the protection of data a top priority. As an employee, owner, or shareholder, if you are exposed to working with Personal Information (PI), ask how it is safeguarded. Test the company policy.

Governments should prepare to issue verifiable evidence of identity and make that evidence available to Canadian residents and businesses to use in public and private sector transactions. The Public Sector is best placed to drive forward on foundational elements such as education and regulation.

Emerging technologies and data capabilities are creating unprecedented opportunities for innovation and disrupting the status quo. The way people interact, communicate, transact and access information in their day-to-day lives is transforming, as is the way businesses operate and government interacts with the public. Canadians, businesses, and government need to understand their potential roles and power in this digital landscape.

The consultations are the next step in Canada’s Innovation and Skills Plan, a plan that will make Canada a world leader in innovation and create well-paying jobs from coast to coast. Now is the time for the Canadian government to recognize Digital ID as a critical resource and include it as a priority in future national policies.

Letters from the President: Exploring Digital Government at FWD50

“When we set out to choose the topics of FWD50 2018, one thing was clear to us: We should begin with foundations, and there’s nothing more foundational than identity. Without it, we can’t ensure the right services are delivered to the right people, or track outcomes and usage in order to improve those services. But identity is challenging—almost philosophical: Who are we, really? And how do privacy, ease of use, and the handling of risk dictate how stringently we identify others?”

-Alistair Croll, Co-founder and content chair, FWD50

On November 7-9, digital government leaders from more than 15 countries gathered in Ottawa, Ontario for the FWD50 conference. “Use technology to make society better for all” was the theme of this year’s event, and conversation focused on government tech, connected citizens, digital policy and the future of society. The conference, now in its second year, has become an event in which DIACC is pleased to participate by contributing our community’s leadership to help foster and drive meaningful conversations. The three-day conversation on digital transformation brings together citizens, the public service, elected officials, technologists, and innovative thinkers from across the globe. The conference encourages governments to think big, in terms of going digital.  

For the first day, before sessions began, DIACC was asked to provide an ‘Identity 101 session’, (Who Goes There? Demystifying Digital Identity for all). This was to give people get an idea about what identity is and what it means. DIACC held a similar workshop last year, which was well-attended. Whereas last year’s identity overview was 30 minutes in duration, this year’s was three hours long, due to popular demand. The workshop was so well attended that at points it was standing-room-only, which spoke to people wanting to learn more about identity.

Ahead of this year’s conference, organizers engaged attendees to find out what topics would be most interesting for the audience. Digital identity was a clear leading topic that people wanted to learn more about.

During the first half of the workshop, Tim Bouma, Senior Policy Analyst Identity Management, Treasury Board Secretariat, provided an overview the need for digital identity from the federal Government’s perspective. Then I widened the discussion to explain the impact of digital identity on Canada’s economy, as well as the power of public and private sector collaboration. For example, DIACC posits that Canada’s economy loses at least 15 Billion dollars in potential annually by not solving for digital identity.  

We were also thrilled to have two guest speakers join us. Santiago Paz, Information Security Director at AGESIC Uruguay, discussed how identity works in Uruguay. Aurélie Pols, who is a French Dutch national that lives in Spain, spoke about the GDPR and what privacy and consent means in a broader context.

After providing some baseline materials, we broke out into an unconference for the second session. Topics included: identity proofing, organizational identity, amplifying collaboration, and categorization of types of consent.

On the second day of the conference I was proud to moderate a circlesquare panel session, which is an interactive unconference-style panel where participants move every 25 minutes. Thematic conversations centered on the need to provide Canadians with tools and agency to make decisions about information sharing. There was a recognition that identity is an enabler and is something that we need to solve.

The tone of the conversations were clear – It’s time to empower Canadians to help them to know what kind of identity information exists about them and to provide them with tools to manage that information.

Next steps

DIACC is committed to helping governments to define their role in the broad collaboration that is needed to solve for digital identity. Canadians need government issued evidence of identity that they can use both in government contexts as well as in the dynamic digital economy.

Government issued evidence of identity has value that is not fully realized when that evidence of identity is confined to the paper world.  It’s important for governments to start preparing themselves to issue evidence of digital identity – for example, digital driver’s licenses and birth records.

By governments making the transition to issue digital evidence of identity that citizens can use in their daily lives, governments will have the ability to create the legal foundation for identity online. This will help every Canadian to gain better access to social services as well as to grow Canada’s digital economy opportunities and our economic opportunities at large.

DIACC’s role

We realize that solving for digital identity is easier said than done, and there are going to be challenges along the way. The good news is that the digital transformation challenge is not something that governments need to face alone. These conversations illuminate areas where DIACC needs to take a lead.

With close to 60 members from around the world, we are investing in Canadian identity, and have been for the last number of years. That’s a strong indicator that Canada’s public and private sectors are invested and here to make identity work for all Canadians at home and on the global scale.

DIACC is the place where the public and private sector are making a significant and sustained investment to develop and deliver the Pan Canadian Trust Framework, which is a set of standards and practices to guide digital identity in Canada. Its success depends on the investments and strong collaboration of public and private sector for the benefit of all Canadians.

To learn more about how your organization can invest in Canada’s digital identity needs, please contact us.

IEC Workshop Recap & Committee Update

Collaboration is at the core of DIACC’s mandate. DIACC members are working on three committees to strategically drive forward Canada’s digital economy.

The Innovation Expert Committee (IEC) was launched in February, 2018, and currently has 17 active members. Among its values are privacy, commercial visibility, cooperation, transparency and impartiality.

With the vision of a robust, privacy enhancing and commercially flourishing digital identity ecosystem for Canada, the Committee conducts its work along two concurrent tracks.

Track A focuses on defining and executing innovation initiatives while Track B focuses on how innovation initiatives need to be defined, prioritized and supported. In the IEC context, “innovation initiatives” are sets of efforts involving two DIACC members or more aiming to deliver a white paper, consultation and analysis report, case study, proof-of-concept, pilot or in-production solution which illustrates, explains or supports the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework (“PCTF”).

The PCTF is a set of standards intended to support Canada’s full and secure participation in the global digital economy through secure and interoperable services, transactions, and digital activities.

“I joined the IEC because its focus is to drive adoption of the DIACC Pan-Canadian Trust Framework, said Patrick Cormier, Vice President Digital Transformation at Notarius and IEC Chair. “I find deep satisfaction in working with others to drive across the finish line innovative solutions, even more so when they are leveraging carefully thought out frameworks.”

“The IEC actively seeks to leverage the PCFT to solve real life and meaningful digital innovation challenges by delivering innovative solutions to digital identity challenges in a privacy-enhancing, collaborative and legally reliable framework approved by governments and private industry,” he said.

The IEC works to solve real life and meaningful digital innovation challenges 

On October 11, the IEC met for an all-day workshop which took place at the OneEleven building (325 Front Street West), in Toronto.   

The Committee agreed on how it will receive, evaluate and prioritize innovation proposals as well as innovation problem assessments. In the latter case, the Committee decided it was appropriate to receive not only solution-defined innovation proposals but also problem assessments. In these problem assessments, the members of the Committee are called upon to craft a Pan-Canadian Trust Framework compliant solution leveraging solution components that already exist. The Committee has also tentatively agreed on the structure of a DIACC Members Directory.

Those in attendance were more than pleased with the output from the workshop and found it to be extremely worthwhile and an overall great experience.

The committee wishes to thank IdentityNORTH Chair Aran Hamilton for setting up the meeting space.

DIACC is pleased to announce the new OEC leadership:

  • Chair: Eric Swedersky – Securekey / SVP Delivery and Public Sector
  • Vice Chair: Patrick Ullrich – Vivvo / Software Developer

Want to have a seat at the table? Sign up for one of our Expert Committees.

2018 International Identity Summit Recap

Day 2: Identity Industry Day – September 7, 2018

Connecting Impactful Identity Capabilities of the Global Public and Private Sectors

by Joni Brennan

On September 6 and 7, Identity and Access Management leaders and innovators from around the world convened in Seattle, WA to share perspectives and identify strategic opportunities at the 2018 International Identity Summit.

The two-day Summit began with a Design Workshop, followed by an Identity Industry Day, hosted by DIACC.

Developing a framework for Canadian digital ID interoperability across sectors and industries is no easy task and DIACC members recognize that we must collaborate strategically to reach our vision of unlocking the digital ID capabilities of the public and private sectors to grow the economy while putting Canadians more in control of data about them.  

Our Canadian story is one of collaboration and that approach does not begin and end in Canada.  Securing our place in the digital economy requires interoperability at the multi-national level.  Our approach must prioritize Canadian values and principles while ensuring that we can transact with others around the world.

I’m always humbled to participate in impactful teleconference working out the fine details needed to advance digital ID that prioritizes privacy, security, and convenience of use. While teleconferences continue the community building, it’s important to come together in-person to connect, share perspectives and even to break bread and share a meal.

Recognizing the importance of connection, leaders of digital ID programs from around the world come together in a new host city roughly every 18 months to share information and plan their next steps. In 2015, DIACC was honoured to host an Industry Day at the previous gathering in our “own backyard” in Ottawa. When we were asked to host Industry Day at the 2018 gathering in Seattle to connect the Pacific Northwest innovators, we were thrilled to work in collaboration with partners at the University of Washington.

Industry Day provides a neutral platform for show-and-tell connecting innovators with potential partners and customers. To warm up, attendees took part in a debrief of the findings from the previous day’s design thinking workshop facilitated by University of Washington and sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate. Next, DIACC was proud to begin the day’s content with an inspiring keynote presentation detailing the Government of Canada’s vision and action plan to meet the call for digital ID that Canadians can use with confidence. The keynote was followed by an impressive overview of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology, Silicon Valley Innovation Program. Next, we explored a deep dive of international innovation applied research projects progressing with the support of funding awarded by the DHS Science & Technology Directorate.

We’re thankful to our Industry Day Innovation Sponsors:

  • ForgeRock – International community leadership
  • SecureKey – Canadian community leadership

We saw presentations from:

  • Dmitry Barinov – SecureKey
  • Ehab Samy – Plurilock
  • Karl Kilb – Boloro
  • Ken McMillan – Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat/ Cybersecurity
  • Marcel Wendt – Digidentity
  • Mary Leong – Placespeak
  • Melissa Oh – Silicon Valley Innovation Program
  • Rohan Pinto – 1 Kosmos
  • Steve Wilson – Lockstep (ValidIy)

We’re pleased to share the Industry Day presentations and materials from this impactful and on-going event.

To find out more about DIACC, our events and initiatives, please join our newsletter by sending a request to Info@DIACC.ca

International Identity Summit Submissions

The following presentations were shared on Industry Day at the 2018 International Identity Summit, on September 7, 2018.

Canadian Digital Identity – Ken McMillan

TBS_Digital-Identity-Canada-Seattle-KenMcMillan-compressed

Silicon Valley Innovation Program (DHS) – Melissa Oh

DHS_SVIP-Overview-to-Identity-Innovation-Summit-Seattle-9-7-2018-Wide-Version-updated-1-compressed

Verified.Me Supporting On-Line Identity Use-Cases for Account Opening – Dmitry Barinov

SecureKey_Sept-7th-presentation-Identity-Data-Exchanges-Leveraging-Blockchain-Technology_added-DHS-slide_sm-3-compressed

Analysis of Alternative Verification Methods – Marcel Wendt

Digidentity_2018-NHS-DIACC-1-compressed

Mobile Device Attributes Validation (MDAV) – Steve Wilson

ValidIDy-IIS-MDAV-presentation-1.2-HANDOUTS-compressed

Using keystrokes and mouse behavior to protect your workstation against identity threats – Ehab Samy

Plurilock_Shared-Slides-1-compressed

Boloro’s Multi-Factor and Multi-Channel Authentication – Karl Kilb

Boloro-Authentication-September-2018

1 Kosmos, BlockID – Rohan Pinto

1Kosmos_IIS_DEMO-1-compressed

Digital ID Authentication & Online Citizen Engagement – Mary Leong

Identity-Summit-Presentation-PlaceSpeak-1-compressed

Letters from the President: Impactful Trends Underpinning Canada’s Digital Identity Transformation

I’ve worked in digital ID for 15+ years and I’ve seen many new trends emerge, technologies abandoned.  I’ve also seen significant breakthroughs in how the industry thinks about the technical foundations of identity. 2018 has been an exciting year so far. With technology linked to so many facets of our lives, more people than ever before are aware of the technologies they are using now and what technologies will come next. High expectations from users, innovative approaches from companies, and a competitive focus from organizations are creating a perfect storm to accelerate identity technology development and adoption. Here, we take a look at some of the technologies that are looking promising for the next phase of digital ID.

Remixing Blockchain

Blockchain is on the radar for most industries  – and for good reason. It offers a ton of potential and has the potential to embed privacy into the experience from the start. I used to think that blockchain is interesting because, over my career in ID, the technologies we work with tend to be those that are purpose-built for identity. Instead of having a specific purpose and industry-centric development perspective, blockchain has emerged as a non-specific identity technology that has the potential to make a big impact.

That impact has yet to be seen in real world use cases, but its scope and potential are definitely disruptive. Thinking about blockchain more, it is unique for the identity industry because, really, it’s an anti-identity technology. It was created to anonymize financial transactions so, in many ways, it’s not surprising that blockchain is showing up in such a big way in our industry.

While anonymity offers promise in terms of privacy enhancement, a lot of blockchain initiatives  are finding that they NEED to solve for identity. While many blockchain solutions purposefully avoid identifying people to create trusted transactions, many regulated (and non-regulated)  industries require ID for tracking and accountability. This has been an exciting conversation starter and has opened some unexpected dialogues across industries. With everyone exploring blockchain, the role and critical nature of digital ID is gaining even more traction in diverse circles.

An Integrated Ecosystem – Not a Single Solution

In my view, the most exciting breakthrough has been a shift in mindsets rather than a shift in technology: the dawn of thinking of the identity landscape as a network or networks. Building on learning from the identity federation model, networks for attribute verification are the next evolution in digital identity and, in my view, a compelling way forward for impactful change.

From recent events and developments in the community, the big takeaways in terms of network thinking has been that all approaches – from technologies to policies – need to be inclusive, interoperable, privacy-respecting and designed for the long-term.

Introducing Face ID

Biometrics have advanced significantly over the past year and some of the user experience ground has been broken with the introduction of face ID. The technology may not seem earth shattering to average users, but early product integrations have helped the industry to start gauging the efficacy and public reaction to facial recognition – is it creepy or cool? Helpful or not? Just as touch ID got people more comfortable with fingerprint biometrics, face ID may mark the beginning of establishing people’s comfort with and the usability of facial recognition. Tests, integrations, and technologies need to be balanced with our core priorities of security, privacy enhancement, and convenience of use.


We’re thrilled to convene leading organizations that are moving the needle forward toward establishing an ecosystem of interoperabile identity solutions and services that Canadians can use with confidence. The DIACC’s community-first approach ensures that Canada’s participation in the digital economy will be secured by leveraging the strengths of both the public and private sectors to deliver socio-economic growth opportunities to all Canadians from the rural suburbs to our most urban city centres. Be a leader by getting in touch with us to learn more about becoming a member of the community shaping Canada’s digital identity transformation.

Spotlight on Gambit

Meet Gambit

1. What is the mission and vision of Gambit Group of Companies?

Make the world a safer place by offering innovative, efficient, and easy-to-use biometric solutions, while providing renowned customer service.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

It can allow much more online activity if you can really trust someone’s identity, thereby making various transactions more convenient and safer for all citizens.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does Gambit address challenges associated with this transformation? 

It can eliminate the need to rely as much on physical documents that in themselves can be forged or become unreliable. It can allow data to be shared in ways that are safe while at the same time making things more flexible and convenient.

We are addressing the challenges associated with this change by providing solutions related to biometrics that can be used as part of many digital identify use cases. We are also working to integrate with other Digital Identity partners to enhance our current product offerings.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in the space?

Canada needs to:

  • Set the policies on sharing of data and privacy for all of its citizens
  • Help guide the Digital Identity standards in this area
  • Ensure proper security controls are in place and Cyber Threats reduced
  • Make sure procurement processes are agile
  • Have an identity strategy this includes Government of Canada employees

5. What else should we know about Gambit?

We are leaders in the Canadian biometrics space with significant experience working with the RCMP, the Policing Community and other government departments on biometric initiatives and the related standards.

Letters from the President: DIACC Amplifying Member Outreach

Connecting global themes with local impact

It has been an exciting year in the digital identity world. From GDPR to blockchain, there has been plenty of activity to spark discussion. Over the past few months, DIACC has attended and presented at digital identity events around the world, from Canada to Germany to New Zealand. At each event, we share the incredible work, values, and cohesion of the DIACC members and shine a spotlight on Canadian leaders in digital ID. In return, we deliver insights to our members, share key learning and development opportunities, and maintain Canada’s connection to the world. Here are some key takeaways from DIACC’s strategic outreach at events, including the KNOW Identity Conference, CIO Health Forum, IdentityNORTH, Blockchain BRC, European Identity Conference, the DIACC Annual General Meeting, and The Point: NZ Payments Conference.

The biggest theme (and one of the most exciting) that came up over and over again was that it is no longer considered optional to solve identity problems. While industry standards setters have been ahead of the curve, recognizing the foundational nature and critical importance of digital ID for some time, other key players have been slower to join the efforts for coordinated action. The growing recognition of digital ID as a critical imperative has resulted in greater focus on R&D that demonstrates the kind of future made possible by digital ID. Identity is shifting from being a nice to have, “ahead of the game” strategy to an essential, “act now” approach. Multiple industries are realizing that solving for identity is essential to keep customers secure and engaged, and to remain competitive as organizations strive to provide the best services.

From an industry perspective, identity management still faces challenges. For years there has been widespread recognition and countless proof points that interoperability is a more reliable, scalable route forward. Despite this admittance, there is still difficulty in securing interoperability around the world and across industries. Significant  investment has gone into the space, and we continue to see more and more entrants join the industry. Growth is steady around the world yet we are still struggling to cross-coordinate efforts at the international scale.

The economic focus and highly collaborative Canadian approach stands out as unique. Canada’s people-first and collaborative strategy is often referenced as an approach to aspire to. The leadership that Canada is demonstrating on a global level has been even more apparent on home soil, with sold out IdentityNORTH events in Montreal and Toronto doubling attendance from previous years, and blockchain events in Vancouver and Toronto attracting a diverse, intergenerational crowd. Seeing Canadians connecting in person and sharing their successes and challenges was a strong reaffirmation of the how important this all is.

While it’s great to have like-minded communities around the world see the value in our approach, more work needs to be done to take a holistic view and solve identity as an ecosystem of peers, partners, and competitors. An ecosystem is necessary in order to secure Canada’s full and beneficial participation in the socioeconomic opportunities the Digital Economy has to offer. An ecosystem of identity solutions and services will help to ensure that every Canadian – from urban centres to rural municipalities – has the opportunity to conveniently access their government services, start an innovative business, and even to invent the next disruptive technology.

Beyond identity for individuals, we need identity for businesses, organizations, and digital relationships to make the system as effective as possible. Identity is included on more and more event agendas but the primary focus remains on personal identity. Little attention is paid to the intersection of how we connect people and businesses. Demonstrating and verifying those relationships will unlock massive potential for transformation. Focusing solely on identity for individuals is like looking at one star in a constellation – it’s an important piece of the puzzle but not the whole picture. To supercharge economic opportunities for all Canadians, identity must be solved to verify people, organizations, and relations with security, privacy, and convenience as paramount principles for success.

Throughout our DIACC outreach efforts, it’s been clear that identity solutions must prioritize inclusive strategies to be worthy of investment here in Canada and around the world. It’s apparent that solving for identity is critical for economic prosperity and, perhaps, even more critical for civic engagement. Strong identification can inform policy makers and build the trust of constituents. Clear examples of identity’s value for civic engagement are evident in the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the rise of the notion of “fake” news. Exploring solutions related to building trust in media and information sources, governance systems, and other hot topics will push the digital identity industry to the forefront and create new opportunities to develop meaningful solutions.

DIACC’s Top Outreach Takeaways for Advancing Digital Identity:

  • Collaboration beats a solo effort every time. DIACC’s community prioritizes a mutual value exchange of collaborators – everyone has something to offer and something to gain.
  • Canada must accelerate delivery of Digital Identity and Authentication interoperability standards, leveraging a healthy balance of speed and pragmatism.
  • While cultures and governance vary around the world, many challenges and opportunities remain the same.
  • The world is paying attention to Canada and we have the opportunity to lead the new age of digital identity by solving challenges using Canadian strengths and principles.

As Canada and the DIACC community continue to deliver value to Canadians and gain prominence across the globe, we look forward to extending even more opportunities to our members to share Canada’s digital identity story at home and on the world stage.

Get in touch for more information on our speakers’ bureau.

Spotlight on Payments Canada

Meet Payments Canada

1. What is the mission and vision of Payments Canada?

Payments Canada ensures that financial transactions in Canada are carried out safely and securely each day. Payments Canada underpins the Canadian financial system and economy by owning and operating Canada’s payment clearing and settlement infrastructure, including associated systems, bylaws, rules and standards.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

Secure payments absolutely depend upon secure digital identity and authentication. This is becoming increasingly important as the array of payment methods expand at the point-of-sale and e-commerce environments for consumers and businesses. As new players enter the fintech space and offer services traditionally performed by financial institutions and faster payment solutions, finding identity and authentication solutions that remain secure while minimizing consumer friction will be crucial.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does Payments Canada address challenges associated with this transformation? 

Payments are the backbone of economic activity. More efficient, faster and secure payment processes help to spur economic activity by facilitating consumption, reducing costs and freeing resources. Modern digital identity and authentication are critical components of efficient and secure payment processes for Canadian and global transactions, particularly as cross-border commerce and trade grow.

Payments Canada works closely with its members, stakeholders and the public to develop mechanisms, policies and rules that support efficient and secure payment transactions. It is vital that rules are in place to ensure that relying parties have a clear understanding of their role in safeguarding identity and authentication procedures. At the same time, digital identity and authentication is much bigger than just payments, which is why Payments Canada is working with the financial services industry and organizations like DIACC to ensure our understanding aligns with wider efforts.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in the space?

Canada has many advantages in the digital identity space. End-user demand is high for ubiquitous and low-friction access to digital services and information. We also have a highly-evolved financial infrastructure and cybersecurity methods to balance end-user demand with secure identity and authentication. Canada also possesses rich clusters of technical and academic capability to identify and implement novel solutions to identity management.

In financial services, these factors are particularly pronounced and the industry is evolving quickly to offer easier service with the security of multi-factor authentication, biometric identification, advanced fraud detection and tokenization of sensitive information. The regulatory environment in financial services is also quite stringent with regards to Know-Your-Client (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML), and Terrorist Financing (TF) identity-related  processes and reporting requirements. Canada will be harnessing these factors to develop world-leading identity management and authentication processes in the coming years and will likely assume a leadership role in this area.

5. What else should we know about Payments Canada?

In 2017, Payments Canada cleared and settled over 7.5 billion transactions totaling over $50 trillion or about $200 billion each business day. We are critical to the efficient functioning of the Canadian economy and our Large Value Transfer System (LVTS) and Automated Clearing and Settlement System (ACSS) are designated by the Bank of Canada as systemically important payment systems (SIPS) and prominent payments systems (PPS) respectively. 

Payments Canada is leading a multi-year industry program to modernize the infrastructure, rules and standards that underpin payments in Canada. These improvements will strengthen our resilience, align with international standards and create a platform for innovation, enabling new and exciting ways for Canadians to pay for goods and services, transfer funds and exchange data about their payments.

 

 

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