Budget 2026 puts verification to work. Here is where DIACC will contribute.
Budget 2026, tabled on November 5, commits to a pilot for voluntary digital credentials in financial services to help combat identity fraud. The Canadian Digital Service will develop it with the Department of Finance.
Other measures bear on how organizations verify identity and authenticate customers. Banks would need to authenticate government-issued ID when opening accounts remotely. A proposed cap would set consumer liability at $0 for unauthorized access to a bank account, absent gross negligence. A Multi-Sector Anti-Fraud Framework would set prevention duties across sectors, including financial services and telecommunications.
Each measure is sector-specific, and the budget does not set out how they connect. Canada already has many efforts underway. Provinces, banks, employers, and technology providers are each building credentials, wallets, and verification tools on industry, national, and international standards, and these efforts may not yet work seamlessly.
DIACC is a non-profit alliance of public and private organizations, and its role is to connect that work. We put standards and open source into context, showing where they fit together in a real transaction and where gaps remain. We connect the organizations behind these efforts around shared problems, such as hiring a remote employee or opening a bank account. Members then test their tools together, live, and we document what works and where the gaps are. We call this a proving ground for digital trust.
We will make that evidence available as the government’s pilot and fraud measures take shape, and in 2027 we will convene interoperability forums to show proof in practice.
DIACC offers evidence on what works and leaves policy choices to governments. The budget describes the credentials as voluntary and keeps phone, mail and in-person options in place. Our focus is the verification needs these measures create.
Organizations with implementation experience can reach us at contact@diacc.ca to share.
