Digital Trust for the Economy
About us
Today, it’s harder than ever to tell what’s real and what’s fake online. Scammers can quickly alter images and spread false information, making it difficult for people to know who to trust and when it’s safe to share personal details.
DIACC was created in 2012 after Finance Canada’s Electronic Payments Task Force recognized the need for stronger digital security. We bring together businesses and governments to build trust in digital services, helping to protect privacy and security.
We focus on the road ahead—making sure digital trust stays strong as AI technology grows, bringing both new benefits and new challenges, like fake or misleading information.
By working closely with the public and private sectors, we create tools that improve public safety, strengthen communities, and support the economy—helping people stay in control and confident in a world where misinformation is everywhere.
Our mission is to advance digital trust adoption through initiatives that inform and validate private sector services, enable privacy-protecting trusted exchanges between private and public sector authorities, and foster a robust digital ecosystem.
Our vision is to enhance economic prosperity by promoting digital trust, tools and services that verify information about individuals and organizations while protecting privacy.
DIACC promotes an inclusive, privacy-enhancing digital trust strategy that works for Canadians. In keeping with the DIACC’s commitment to full transparency and accountability, DIACC registers all applicable activities with the Office of the Lobbying Commissioner.
Our Goals
-
Catalyze changes and set the strategic direction for the public and private sectors in Canada
-
Provide a forum to foster collaboration among participants, formalize existing standards and create new ones
-
Develop and recommend harmonizing policies, standards, and regulatory changes with international benchmarks that further the strategic direction
-
Provide operating guidelines to the marketplace, and set certification processes to ensure that digital trust and identity delivers efficient, secure, safe, reliable, privacy-enhancing transactions
-
Enforce the minimum requirements necessary to enter the ecosystem
-
Ensure that Canada’s digital trust and identity ecosystem is accessible to all
-
Promote interoperability between participants and with international schemes
-
Promote public understanding and accelerate the adoption of digital trust and identity in Canada
Our History
In 2010, Canada’s Finance Minister Jim Flaherty created the Task Force for the Payments System Review. This group included government, businesses, privacy experts, and consumer advocates. They found that secure digital identity and authentication are essential for safe digital payments and Canada’s digital economy.
To build on this work, DIACC was formed in 2012. As a non-profit, we bring together public and private sector leaders to create secure, privacy-focused digital trust and identity solutions that benefit all Canadians.
Our work helps unlock new opportunities in the digital economy. We run Expert Committees (ECs), where industry leaders collaborate on high-impact projects and develop practical resources.