Tag Archives: PCTF

Foundational ID: Restoring the Chain of Trust for Identity

Over the course of 2021 and early 2022, the DIACC worked with a Special Interest Group (SIG) to explore how the integration of Foundational IDs into the digital identity ecosystem could improve identity resolution between silos, introduce new efficiencies in service delivery, and reduce fraud. Members of the SIG included representatives from provincial Vital Statistics agencies and digital identity initiatives, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), representatives from the Canadian financial and insurance sectors, as well as additional participants from the private and public sectors. The SIG members took part in 14 working sessions to explore work streams across various topics including birth records, impacts on service delivery and fraud, and roadmapping.

This report outlines observations, conclusions, and recommendations including a list of 12 proposed initiatives that may be considered as a method to address and resolve some of these challenging issues facing our community today.

Download the report here.

DIACC-Foundational-ID-POC-Final-Report_ENG

Voilà Verified Trustmark Program is Live – ‘duty of care’ a top priority

The Digital ID and Authentication Council of Canada Launches Voilà Verified Program to Spotlight World-Class Vetted Digital Identity Solutions.

Toronto, October 18, 2022 – The Digital ID and Authentication Council of Canada (DIACC) has officially launched the Voilà Verified Trustmark Program – the first and only certification program to determine digital identity service compliance with the Pan-Canadian Trust FrameworkTM (PCTF).

A non-profit coalition of over 115 public and private members, the DIACC develops research and opportunities to enable Canada’s confident, safe, and full participation in a global digital economy.  

“One size does not fit all when it comes to identity solutions – but ensuring a solution delivers upon a defined duty of care is critical,” says Joni Brennan, president of the DIACC. “With the PCTF, and now with Voilà Verified, there is an opportunity to adopt a framework rooted in trust – and to earn compliance recognition. Voilà Verified identifies those who are ‘walking the walk’ –  those who are delivering safe and secure access to the global digital economy.” 

The DIACC’s PCTF is a publicly available framework for identity solutions that defines client, customer, and individual duty of care. The Voilà Verified program provides a vetting and assessment opportunity where PCTF-compliant solution vendors can earn a public-facing Trustmark. The result? Spotlight visibility of trustworthy, safe, reliable, and efficient solutions.

“The PCTF being leveraged on a global scale marks a significant opportunity across industries,” says Franklin Garrigues, VP External Ecosystems at TD Bank Group, DIACC Board Vice-Chair. “Voilà Verified is rooted in safety, protection, and reliability. This program enables safe access to the global digital economy with certainty.” 

Voilà Verified presents an opportunity to grow provincial-level investments in digital identity solutions. Provincial governments who have launched identity services can now earn a Trustmark of their own, and provinces that are on the cusp of entering the digital solution market can do so with confidence by seeking vendors with a Voilà Verified Trustmark.  

“Going digital is a big step for governments – and now, with Voilà Verified, provincial leaders are empowered to do so with confidence by engaging solution vendors that will protect end-users first and foremost,” says Colleen Boldon, Director, Digital Lab and Digital ID Programs, Public Services and Smart Government, Province of New Brunswick and DIACC Board member.  

Ruth Puente, Voilà Verified’s Trustmark Verification Program Manager, says a leading component of the program’s development was to ensure its procedures aligned with the International Organization of Standardization (ISO). 

“Voilà Verified is inclusive yet diligent in verifying PCTF-compliant solutions. The program was developed in alignment with ISO standards – and empowers informed decision making in a rapidly growing ecosystem of identity solutions.”

Puente, based in Madrid, Spain, brings international perspective and expertise to the Voilà Verified program with deep experience in internet governance policy and public affairs, trust and privacy innovation, and digital identity frameworks and certification.

“Delivering high-quality service is our priority. Customer protection is our priority. Increasing access to trustworthy solutions is our priority. We have formed teams of international experts to perform assessments and to oversee the process through an impartial lens,” says Puente. 

Entities who are responsible for assessing PCTF compliance within the Voilà Verified program are known as Accredited Assessors, Readiness Advisors, and Testing Laboratories.

The first official Accredited Assessor and Readiness Advisor is KUMA, a private sector DIACC member and global privacy, security, and identity consulting firm specializing in custom cybersecurity solutions – now the world’s first and only assessor to offer identity assessments in the US, Canada, and the UK. 

“KUMA is bringing the same expertise to the Voilà Verified program that we’ve been bringing to our clients for over a decade,” says Michael Magrath, KUMA’s Managing Director of Digital Identity. “We are dedicated, alongside the DIACC, to generate growth opportunities for identity solutions across Canada and the globe.” 

The Voilà Verified Trustmark Oversight Board (TOB) will make all final verification decisions based on reports from accredited entities. Made up of third-party volunteers with international expertise in identity management, auditing, compliance, cybersecurity, information security, and law, the TOB is the highest operating body of Voilà Verified. It is subject to impartiality, confidentiality and conflict of interest policies. 

Voilà Verified is a unique opportunity in which I am honoured to share my experience as an advisor and auditor within information security, compliance, and identity,” says Björn Sjöholm, Cybersecurity Entrepreneur of Seadot, and TOB Chair. 

Vendors are turning to the Voilà Verified program for several reasons, but the leading value proposition is market differentiation. Trustmark holders stand out from competitors by unlocking global business opportunities through international recognition and credibility. 

“Voilà Verified puts internationally reputable identity solutions on the map,” says Dave Nikolejsin, the DIACC’s Board Chair. “This is the way forward. With lateral growth of PCTF compliance across sectors – public and private – we establish a common value of trust. Launching Voilà Verified is a monumental stride for Canada to influence a safe and secure global digital economy.” 

Voilà Verified is ready to serve your entity today. To learn more and access your application package, visit the program overview on the DIACC website or contact voila@diacc.ca

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ABOUT DIACC

DIACC is a growing coalition of public and private sector organizations that are making a significant and sustained effort to ensure Canada’s full, secure, and beneficial participation in the global digital economy. By solving challenges and leveraging opportunities, Canada has the chance to secure at least three percent of unrealized GDP or $100 billion of potential growth by 2030. Seizing this opportunity is a must in a digital society as we work through the COVID pandemic challenges. Learn more about the DIACC mandate

ABOUT KUMA

For almost a decade, Kuma has provided privacy, security and identity expertise to various local, state, and federal government agencies, non-profits, and businesses, often in highly regulated sectors. Trust is deeply ingrained in their ethos and is illustrated in the work they deliver in all engagements. Over the years, Kuma has gained and maintained customer confidence and built a reputation for customizing its cybersecurity services to meet the needs of small and large companies alike, while always grounded in national standards. Kuma rejects a “one-size fits all” approach, building long-standing working relationships with clients as they mature their security, privacy, and identity postures. For more information visit http://www.kuma.pro

ABOUT SEADOT

Seadot Cybersecurity is run by entrepreneurs with a strong focus on effective and efficient security. The founders have extensive experience in information security as well as IT-security. Seadot offers cybersecurity services to organizations with a high demand for regulatory compliance and security. Seadot clients have their main business within the Nordics and Northern Europe. Seadot services include: Information Security Management, Software Security, IT security Operations, and Cybersecurity Compliance. Seadot is a Kantara Initiative Accredited Assessor. 

Request for Comment & IPR Review: PCTF Digital Wallet Draft Recommendation V1.0

This review period is now closed.

Notice of Intent: DIACC is collaborating to develop and publish the Digital Wallet component of the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF) to set a baseline of public and private sector interoperability of identity services and solutions. During this public review period, DIACC is looking for community feedback to ensure that the conformance criteria is clear and auditable.

Document Status: These review documents have been developed by members of the DIACC’s Trust Framework Expert Committee (TFEC) who operate under the DIACC controlling policies and consist of representatives from both the private and public sectors. These documents have been approved by the TFEC as Draft Recommendations V1.0.

Summary:

The intent of the PCTF Digital Wallet component is to provide a framework that Digital Identity Ecosystem Participants can use to assess the degree to which the digital wallets that are part of their respective ecosystems accomplish the following: 

  1. Provide Citizens and Consumers with a Digital Identity Wallet that complies with the human rights principles of preserving people’s privacy and control over their information.
  2. Introduces a consistent identity metaphor and consent-driven automated experience across all Ecosystem Participants to reduce impact on users caused by Digital Transformation. 
  3. Contribute to a stable infrastructure with longevity and world-wide interoperability by adopting and supporting relevant standards as appropriate (e.g., W3C Standards for Verifiable Credentials and DIDs). 
  4. Counter cyber vulnerability and extortion by enabling Service Providers to incrementally replace existing login mechanisms, some of which may be exploitable, without suffering negative impact to business.
  5. Establish an environment of trust within which the wallet’s owner can interact with other Ecosystem Participants such as Issuers, Verifiers, and other Relying Parties.

To learn more about the Pan-Canadian vision and benefits-for-all value proposition please review the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework Overview.

Invitation:

  • All interested parties are invited to comment.

Period:

  • Opens: Apr. 10, 2022 at 23:59 PT | Closes: May 20, 2022 at 23:59 PT

When reviewing the components Conformance Criteria, please consider the following and note that responses to this question are non-binding and serve to improve the PCTF.

  1. Would you consider the Conformance Criteria as auditable or not? That is, could you objectively evaluate if an organization was compliant with that criteria and what evidence would be used to justify that?

Review Documents: PCTF Digital Wallet

Intellectual Property Rights:

Comments must be received within the 30-day comment period noted above. All comments are subject to the DIACC contributor agreement; by submitting a comment you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions therein. DIACC Members are also subject to the Intellectual Property Rights Policy. Any notice of an intent not to license under either the Contributor Agreement and/or the Intellectual Property Rights Policy with respect to the review documents or any comments must be made at the Contributor’s and/or Member’s earliest opportunity, and in any event, within the 30-day comment period. IPR claims may be sent to review@diacc.ca. Please include “IPR Claim” as the subject.

Process:

  • All comments are subject to the DIACC contributor agreement.
  • Submit comments using the provided DIACC Comment Submission Spreadsheet.
  • Reference the draft and corresponding line number for each comment submitted.
  • Email completed DIACC Comment Submission Spreadsheet to review@diacc.ca.
  • Questions may be sent to review@diacc.ca.

Value to Canadians:

The PCTF Digital Wallet component will provide value to all Canadians, businesses, and governments by setting a baseline of business, legal, and technical interoperability. The DIACC’s mandate is to collaboratively develop and deliver resources to help Canadian’s to digitally transact with security, privacy, and convenience. The PCTF is one such resource and guides digital identity ecosystem interoperability by putting policy, standards, and technology into practice aligning with defined levels of assurance. The DIACC is a not-for-profit coalition of members from the public and private sector who are making a significant and sustained investment in accelerating Canada’s Identity Ecosystem.

Context:

The purpose of this review is to ensure transparency in the development and diversity of a truly Pan-Canadian, and international, input. In alignment with our Principles for an Identity Ecosystem, processes to respect and enhance privacy are being prioritized through every step of the PCTF development process.

DIACC expects to modify and improve these Draft Recommendations based upon public comments. Comments made during the review will be considered for incorporation into the next iteration and DIACC will prepare a Disposition of Comments to provide transparency with regard to how each comment was handled.

Decentralized Identity and DIACC PCTF Authentication

While the Authentication component may have been mostly developed before Decentralized Identity approaches emerged, this document demonstrates that Authentication is applicable in the context of Decentralized Identity systems and encourages service providers not to lose sight of good security practice even in the face of new approaches.

Download the paper.

Decentralized-Identity-and-DIACC-PCTF-Authentication

Digital ID, the next step to easier, more convenient government services for citizens

Contributions made by members of the DIACC’s Outreach Expert Committee

Across the country, governments are grappling with digital transformation, in an effort to offer services to citizens and businesses with greater flexibility and ease of access. With COVID-19, these efforts are all the more pressing to enable service at a distance and recognize that many people have settled into a new, more remote way of operating.

Moving governments online is not a new focus. Governments have been tackling this transformation for well over 10 years. As technology has advanced and people have grown comfortable transacting digitally, government efforts have also increased to put more information and services online. Yet, the more complex services, (i.e., ones that deal with sensitive data, require multi-ministry involvement, or involve large payouts by way of grants or loans), still generally remain offline, largely due to one key problem: proving that the person behind the computer is who they say they are. The answer to this problem is digital ID.

Digital ID is the ability to identify someone electronically and confirm that they are the right person for a specific activity. When coupled with program information, a Digital ID can help confirm that the person has permission or authorization to carry out a transaction or activity. When delivered well, it offers citizens and businesses improved data security, increased flexibility to access government services when and how they want, and ultimately is a key foundation for accelerating our digital economy. Just think of all the times in banking, education, health and even buying alcohol where you’re required to produce a physical ID.

In a digital ID world, improved privacy and security can complement convenience, rather than inhibit it. The old ways ask us to show up in person for a signature or to show ID, or to fill out a form with all sorts of personal information that is then collected and stored where it’s left susceptible to hacks, and frankly, simply becoming out of date. Digital IDs allow us to confirm information without storing it. Governments can ask you for personal information – an address, birth date, or even your photo – and compare it against sources of truth like vital stats or the driver’s license database. But then, critically, that information is discarded. No additional storage and you’ve proven it’s you without leaving your own home.

The promise has been significant, but until recently it has been inhibited by immature technology, a lack of standards to build trust and safeguard Canadians, and with few exceptions, a lack of public-sector investment to dig in and get digital IDs delivered across the country. Fortunately, in the last few years, that’s all started to change. Both Alberta and British Columbia have launched digital IDs, with BC including a mobile card and a Verify by Video option. Provinces like Quebec have made significant investments, and other jurisdictions like Ontario, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick are nudging into the space with pilots, proofs of concepts and digital ID components offered through their single-sign on. Enabling the broader digital economy is also on the horizon. Digital documents, such as government-issued licences, permits, and education credentials, are envisioned to support digital trade and commerce and to enable individuals and organizations to participate in the digital economy and society.

In short, federal, provincial, territorial and municipal collaboration is coalescing like never before, with strong leadership and a sense of purpose. Digital ID solution providers are emerging in Canada’s tech sector, thanks in part to creative challenges, pilot projects and investment from the public sector. The Pan-Canadian Trust Framework, and its public sector counterpart, the Public Sector Profile, have emerged to provide the blueprints for digital ID in Canada and are being accelerated with the increasing realization that social distancing is here to stay, for a while.

Once we have the confidence that the person on the internet is truly who they say they are, that they are a legitimate, verified person, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities. We can start to attach proofs to digital IDs, like proof of vaccination or essential worker status. We can use digital IDs to prove online that we’re the correct person to write an exam, sign a mortgage or contract, or stamp blueprints.

We can use digital IDs to speed up lines at the airports, borders and other secure access points with trusted, reliable ‘scan and go’ systems, and we can use digital ID to help maintain that all-important social distancing, protecting the safety of workers and citizens by not having to hand over your physical ID card and instead presenting your phone to be scanned. Digital ID offers Canadians improved data security, enhanced access and increased flexibility when dealing with governments, and ultimately will support ushering in an enhanced digital economy.

Governments across the country are working harder than ever to make digital ID a reality. The necessary investment, focus, and accelerators that allow governments to move with trust and confidence are finally starting to come together. With COVID-19 still very much present, now more than ever is the time to make the shift. Look to the DIACC to learn more about digital ID and primary accelerators like the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework and the ever-growing vendor community working to verify identity online.

Covid has accelerated Canadians’ demand for digital ID

Digital ID and Authentication Council of Canada research finds that three-quarters of Canadians feel it’s important to have a secure, trusted, and privacy-enhancing digital ID to safely and securely make transactions online

Access the full Canadian Digital Identity Research 2020 Report

Access the Multi-page Synopsis

Access the One-page Synopsis

Toronto, February 16, 2021 —   As more Canadians and businesses are moving online throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, three-quarters of the population feels it’s important to have a secure, trusted and privacy-enhancing digital ID to safely and securely make transactions online. 

“From receiving emergency pandemic benefits to ensuring health records are correct and helping children and youth with online education, there are many ways in which a secure digital ID is essential to the functioning of daily life during a pandemic,” said Joni Brennan, President of the Digital ID and Authentication Council of Canada (DIACC). “The pandemic has put a spotlight on the need for governments to move with urgency to invest in the digital infrastructure needed to ensure that Canadians receive the services they need and that Canadian businesses can participate fully and securely in the global digital economy.”   

The majority of Canadians believe it is important for federal and provincial governments to move quickly on enabling digital ID in a safe and secure manner, according to the survey. It also shows that collaboration between governments and the private sector continues to be considered the best approach to create a pan-Canadian digital ID framework. 

“As policymakers consider how best to invest to support Canada’s post-pandemic economic recovery, prioritizing the issuance of trusted digital ID credentials to all Canadians must be a priority,” stated Dave Nikolejsin, the DIACC’s Board Chair. 

As the federal government focuses on post-pandemic recovery, investing in digital ID makes economic sense, especially for small and medium-sized businesses. For SMEs, the impact of digital identity could be used to improve processes that are difficult today. This is especially true in situations where businesses need to provide proof of identity to another business. Considering SMEs account for approximately 30 per cent of Canada’s overall GDP ($450 billion), if we assume that the average SME could be just one per cent more efficient with access to trusted digital identity, this results in a potential $4.5 billion of added value to SMEs and reinvestments in the Canadian economy.

Digital ID critical to privacy in Canada

Survey respondents identified security, efficiency and privacy as the top three benefits of digital ID. Further, an overwhelming number of Canadians are looking for solutions that address both the public and private sectors. 

“As Innovation, Science and Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne ushers through Bill C-11, the Digital Charter Implementation Act, to introduce private sector protections for consumer data, it’s imperative that public sector data also be considered in the legislation,” said Brennan.

A digital ID would help to keep Canadians’ data secure and pan-government services easier to access as we move through the pandemic to recovery. This means adopting the Pan-Canadian trust framework.

With new research and compelling data, it’s clear there is no better time for governments to invest in making digital ID a national public policy priority.

ABOUT DIACC
DIACC is a growing coalition of public and private sector organizations who are making a significant and sustained effort to ensure Canada’s full, secure, and beneficial participation in the global digital economy.  By solving challenges and leveraging opportunities, Canada has the chance to secure at least 3% of unrealized GDP or $100 billion of potential growth by 2030. Seizing this opportunity is a must in a digital society as we work through the COVID pandemic challenges. Learn more about the DIACC mandate
DIACC was created as a result of the Minister of Finance’s Electronic Payments Task Force that recommended that Canada needs a framework for digital identity and authentication that a self-governing body of experts must create.

ABOUT THE STUDY
Burak Jacobson Research Partners is a full-service market research consulting firm headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1981, Burak Jacobson has conducted over 4,000 research projects in 39 countries across various industries.

The PCTF is a tool for implementing Canada’s Digital Charter

It’s well-established that digital technology is the defining force of our modern lives. Work, play, social, commercial and political interactions are all taking place online. In the era of social distancing, the already crucial migration to digital platforms has accelerated, leaving many Canadian citizens, organizations and governments eager to get online with confidence.

That confidence must extend beyond the internet connection – it is fundamental for developing trust amongst Canadians that the systems, organizations, and information they are interacting with and sharing are reliable and secure. Trust encompasses personal data protection and empowerment, so that Canadians have the ability to share their information, in exchange for products or services, and decide when and what information they want to share.

Protecting their data is crucial. As is the need to remain open, innovative, and leading in an increasingly competitive global digital market. Canadians know that data is important – both to use and to protect.

Canada’s Digital Future: Built on Values and The Digital Charter

Leveraging input from Canadians who are eager to develop skills and talent for the future of work, drive innovation for more competitive advantage, and ensure that privacy and trust remain a priority, the Federal Government of Canada has launched the Digital Charter.

The Digital Charter details a plan to reach all of those goals with ten principles in place to guide decisions and set priorities:

  1. Universal Access
  2. Safety and Security
  3. Control and Consent
  4. Transparency, Portability, and Interoperability
  5. Open and Modern Digital Government
  6. A Level Playing Field
  7. Data and Digital for Good
  8. Strong Democracy
  9. Free from Hate and Violent Extremism
  10. Strong Enforcement and Real Accountability

Ultimately, the Digital Charter sets out a mission to make Canada home to a privacy-respecting, “innovative, people-centred, and inclusive digital economy built on trust.” The vision aligns closely with the DIACC’s public and private sector focused Pan-Canadian Trust FrameworkTM (PCTF)

The PCTF development and definition of core sections have been carefully steered by Canadians who are leaders in diverse industries and the public sector. From the outset, it has been designed through multi-jurisdictional collaboration. DIACC acts as a convening body to synthesize the expertise, needs, and requirements of public and private sectors and represent the interests of all Canadians. The Trust Framework offers insight into how Canadians’ values can be reflected across industries, locations, and use cases in practical ways. The first version, that is currently being tested in-market, reflects back these ten principles in concrete, actionable and thorough standards.

Enabling Everyone through Digital ID and the Pan-Canadian Trust FrameworkTM

The Digital Charter is used to implement a digital ecosystem as a whole that respects Canadians’ need for safety, security, and opportunity. To make that vision a reality, digital identity needs to be built in from the outset, and factored in by design. 

The PCTF has been developed by Canada’s public and private sectors as a comprehensive tool to establish interoperability of personal and business data as well as the security practices that governments and businesses will require to ensure that the benefits of people are kept at the centre of design and decisions. The Trust Framework provides a clear method for rallying Canada’s diverse industries, provincial and territorial systems, and users around agreed-upon standards for the best possible security, user experience, and outcomes. 

The PCTF offers a pathway for governments, businesses, and individuals to plug into the benefits of the digital economy and interact seamlessly across Canadian entities without ever reconsidering or faltering that high degree of trust. 

The PCTF directly addresses many of the principles outlined in the Digital Charter, accelerating progress on the top six in particular. Expertise in security, consent, user experience, and interoperability have been guiding forces from the beginning of the PCTF development. These values are echoed in the Charter and ensure all Canadians and Canadian organizations of all sizes are able to take advantage of the convenience and potential scale afforded by digital technologies. 

At its core, the PCTF is intended to increase data access and extend opportunities to all Canadians, whether they’re setting up their first business and offering online services or reviewing their health records from home. Ensuring they’re able to complete these and all tasks online with speed, ease, and peace of mind that their information is secure is the goal.

Ensuring that delivery of benefits to all Canadians is at the core of the digital economy, the PCTF maintains that businesses and governments must provide reliable, accountable, and interoperable services. Giving Canadians the freedom of choice and simplified user experience they have come to expect. 

PCTF has data privacy and citizen/resident data empowerment built into every aspect of the standards, offering universal standards and a simple implementation approach for organizations to follow. The Digital Charter is about reprioritizing personal data protection. Paired with the PCTF, it will ensure individuals interacting online will be respected and protected as individuals at the core of the digital economy, with business and governments acting as standards implementers, law enforcers, and service providers in service of Canadians.

Learn more about the DIACC’s critical work in progressing the PCTF. Please contact us if you are interested in getting involved at info@diacc.ca.

Protecting Privacy While Reopening Economies

The Value of the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework

Co-written by Kaliya Young, IdentityWoman & Joni Brennan, DIACC President

Around the world, people are suffering due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of this suffering is due to the need to move education and work to take place fully online. Many workplaces have moved their workforce to be remote.  However, not all workplaces are able to function remotely. (Examples goods and essential services, pharmacy, travel etc…) Workplaces that are not able to operate remotely have shut down or limited hours and capacity severely.  This puts a massive strain on economies.  

In the past we have talked about Digital Identity as a convenience to make it easier for people to transact with cybersecurity and privacy protection. Now, when we talk about security, the conversation is urgent and focused on life security.  People are asking, “Will I be able to continue to work? Will I be able to put food on the table?”  

Governments and businesses are urgently looking for tools to safely reopen and restart economies. 

About CLEAR

In the U.S., large cities are considering proposals that delegate the management of phygital (physical-digital) identity to CLEAR, a U.S. based company, so that cities can “safely reopen” their local economies by requiring people who want to navigate the city to have a CLEAR ID and link it to their health record/COVID status. 

CLEAR offers a service that replaces a physical ID check with a biometric scan of a person’s eyes and fingertips. In some locations, this service allows passengers to move through airport security faster. 

CLEAR is like “login-with Facebook” or “login-with Google” where people are required to get into websites to have a relationship with these private identity providers where CLEAR’s service straddles both the physical and digital worlds. 

Just as Facebook or Google login tracks and surveils you and your behaviours, the CLEAR approach could essentially track and surveil people in the physical world. This approach also has the potential to delegate authority to manage access to public spaces by a single private sector entity. Without an agreed on and adopted framework, this type of approach could have the effect of restricting freedom of movement to be managed by a single private sector entity.  

Why Trust Frameworks Matter

As businesses and governments are looking for tools to safely reopen and restart economies.  Tools for reopening are an important part of the challenge.  Tool development and tool selection in these scenarios must be guided by “rules of the road” that put people and socioeconomic security at the centre of the design. 

Without transparent operational guidance, people’s privacy and personal freedoms may be compromised. By having a set of operational rules, decision makers will have the capacity to make better decisions that will enable the public to trust that the tools being implemented have been designed to respect their best interests. 

The Pan-Canadian Trust Framework represents a set of operational rules that have been developed by public and private sector leaders to enable a diversity of public and private sector organizations to provide services and solutions that could help to restart the economy.  

By having a Pan-Canadian Trust Framework, the playing field could be leveled to enable a diversity of entities to play a role in safely reopening economies with privacy and personal data protections built in by design. 

The Pan-Canadian Trust Framework has been built with privacy and consent to personal information disclosure embedded into all aspects of the design. The Pan-Canadian Trust Framework has been designed to measure the implementation of assurance, security and privacy practices in networks and solutions that are built on various (and often different) technologies. 

For more information about how your organization can adopt or help to shape the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework please visit diacc.ca or contact us at info@diacc.ca.

Newly Launched Digital ID Framework to Begin Testing in Canada

Governments and Businesses to Begin Testing Across Canada

TORONTO, September 15, 2020 – The Digital ID & Authentication Council of Canada (“DIACC”) today announced the launch of the Pan-Canadian Trust FrameworkTM (“PCTF”), a set of digital ID and authentication industry standards that will define how digital ID will roll out across Canada. Its launch marks the shift from the framework’s development into official operation and will begin alpha testing by public and private sector members in Canada. The alpha testing will inform the launch of DIACC’s PCTF Voila Verified Trustmark Assurance Program  (“Voila Verified”), set to launch next year.

“The pandemic has pushed digital adoption five years into the future. Without the proper infrastructure for digital ID and authentication in place, we’ve seen firsthand how Canadians have been left vulnerable and with limited access to essential services” said Eros Spodotto, Executive Vice-President, Technology Strategy and Business Transformation at TELUS

“Trust and security are the foundations of the digital economy. The key to unlocking a true digital experience comes from having a digital ID ecosystem that extends beyond any one sector.”
– Franklin Garrigues, VP Digital Channels at TD Bank, and DIACC Board Vice-Chair

From open banking to e-health, digital ID is a key enabler in unlocking the next frontier of our digital economy. Banks and telcos fortunately have been able to leverage existing digital ID services to support Canadians. “Digital identity verification has helped countless Canadians receive financial aid during the pandemic,” notes Andre Boysen, Chief Identity Officer at SecureKey, “but it’s not enough. Now, we need to leverage that momentum, and push out a solution for digital ID in all levels of society. The PCTF is that answer.”

“The PCTF launch marks an important milestone in Canada’s digital transformation initiatives,” exclaims Dave Nikolejsin, Board Chair at DIACC, “Canadians have had to deal with identity theft and fraud, high anxiety in accessing services that they were in dire need of while facing social distancing measures, and attempting to go about their lives as normally as possible. Digital ID minimizes all of those pain points, and elevates the livelihoods of Canadians everywhere.” Joni Brennan, President of DIACC, adds, “Our economy has also been heavily impacted by all this, and we know digital identity has the potential to add at least 3 percent of GDP, which is potentially almost $100 billion back into our Canadian economy. This is why we’ve accelerated the launch of the PCTF. The time for digital ID is now.”

“The Digital ID Laboratory of Canada is a proud partner of the DIACC, with a strong community that is ready to support the launch of the PCTF and ensure that together, we can accelerate the adoption of user-centric and interoperable digital ID solutions across the country.”
Pierre Roberge, General Manager of the Digital ID Laboratory of Canada

Alpha testing of the PCTF will be carried out by over 20 Canadian public and private sector DIACC member organizations during the next two quarters with the purpose of operationalizing the framework as fast as possible. Organizations that have volunteered to take part in the alpha test seek to gain strategic and operational insights to become demonstrated leaders in digital identity. 

Learnings taken from the alpha testing will help DIACC identify what is needed to scale up a digital identity infrastructure across Canada, and help Canada secure international digital interoperability and accreditation by working with international and third party partners such as eIDAS and Kantara Initiative IAF

A Digital ID Trademark You Can Trust

The alpha testing will also inform the launch of the DIACC PCTF Voila Verified Trustmark Assurance Program (“Voila Verified”). The program is set to launch in fall 2021, and will issue a PCTF Voila Verified Trustmark to organizations who demonstrate compliance with PCTF components. Voila Verified will enable solutions and service providers to leverage the trustmark to elevate their market leadership and allow them to collaborate securely with assurance, providing their customers with the digital-first experience that they demand. 

“We’re pleased to work with the DIACC to help recognize the Voila Verified Program on an international scale. It is through secure global credentials that we can transform the state of digital identity, and progress the digital economy worldwide.”
– Colin Wallis, Executive Director of Kantara Initiative

Multijurisdictional Collaboration: Enabling Trusted Digital Inclusion for All

The launch of the PCTF comes at a time when having a strong digital economy is no longer a ‘nice-to have’; rather, it is imperative for Canadians. More than 70 per cent of Canadians want to see the government and private sector collaborate on a joint identity framework in Canada. “We’ve seen the benefits and advantages of digital ID for people in British Columbia during this pandemic,”, said CJ Ritchie, Associate Deputy Minister and Government Chief Information Officer for the Province of British Columbia, “From government to healthcare, commerce, and financial services, the entire provincial economy is being impacted by COVID-19. Having a robust digital identity/trust ecosystem allows all Canadians to do more online, in a safer, more secure and confident way.”

The PCTF was developed collaboratively between public and private sector stakeholders, with contributions from a broad array of individuals and organizations around the world. Over 3,400 public comments were provided over four years that helped progress the framework to its launch today. 

“The framework released today was created through an incredible collaboration involving hundreds of people who worked to contribute, comment, and lend their ideas,” noted Peter Watkins, Program Executive for the Pan-Canadian Digital ID at the Institute for Citizen-Centred Service, “we’re committed to continuing our multi-jurisdictional collaboration as we move into the next stages for this important work.”

About the PCTF & Voila Verified Program

Details on the PCTF may be found in this backgrounder.
Details on the Voila Verified Program may be found in this backgrounder.

Progressing the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF)

Since 2016, the Digital ID & Authentication Council of Canada’s (DIACC) Trust Framework Expert Committee (TFEC) has been developing the Pan-Canadian Trust FrameworkTM (PCTF). It is one framework with many partners, and we thank all of those involved for their contribution in this momentous achievement.  

Four years and 41 review and comment periods later, this engaging infographic highlights how the framework has progressed over the years to the launch of the PCTF MVP in September 2020.

Download the infographic: Progressing the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF).

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