Government of Ontario Digital ID

 

The Government of Ontario has launched an online consultation on Digital Identity. The consultation, available at Ontario.ca/digitalID, will be open from February 2, 2021 until February 26, 2021 and feature surveys for members of the public and small-to-medium-size enterprises (SMEs), as well as subsequent virtual focus groups for SMEs to be organized in the near future.

The survey is quick and easy and will take only a few minutes to complete. The purpose of the consultation is to hear directly from Ontarians about making programs and services more convenient, reliable and accessible for Ontarians. It’s an opportunity to help shape the government’s approach to introducing a digital ID.

A digital ID would allow people to securely and conveniently prove their identity online. This would save time and money and offer more convenient access to government and private sector services. Strong encryption and privacy protecting technology will be at the core of a digital ID to ensure personal information such as name, birthdate or address remains secure.

A digital ID could allow a parent to more easily access their children’s immunization records and share them online with their school. Or, a small business owner could reduce red tape when registering for licences and permits or opening new accounts online.

A digital ID will not be mandatory, and people would still be able to use physical cards if they choose to do so. But, every person online means one less person in line and when more people choose online options, the service experiences gets better for everyone, including those who need to go in-person.

The public consultation will support user-focused design and help the government better understand what services Ontarians want to use their digital ID to access. Since most of the businesses in the province are SMEs, this phase of the consultation will also focus on how a digital ID will impact the way in which these businesses operate as well as serve the public. It is important to understand what the needs of these businesses are and how government can support them to adopt and benefit from the use of digital IDs.

Based on estimates of the impact of Digital Identity on GDP in mature economies by McKinsey Global Institute, Ontario stands to gain $8 - $25 billion in economic value alone. This could play a vital role in Ontario’s long-term economic recovery.

We encourage you to participate, as well as to share these surveys with your stakeholders, membership or network. Please visit Ontario.ca/digitalID to find the links that will take you to the surveys for members of the public and small-to-medium-size enterprises (SMEs) and choose the survey that pertains to you.

Sincerely,

Original Signed By
Robert Devries
Assistant Deputy Minister, Platforms
Ontario Digital Service
Treasury Board Secretariat