Lack of talent and focus on users pose barriers to Canada’s digital ID ambitions

There is plenty of optimism about the future of digital identity in Canada, but that was not the focus during the last IdentityNORTH event. Then conclusion to a recently-published event summary is a list of five barriers to the widespread use of digital ID in the country.

Having been identified, the barriers will be the focus of IdentityNorth in 2023.

Sessions at the IdentityNorth Fall Symposium 2022 reviewed the state of digital ID affairs in Canada, and discussed barriers in terms of users and use cases, technology, standards and frameworks, human resources, financing, and policy.

Most of the challenges ahead for digital ID adoption in Canada are common around the world, like the need for more communication with the public and the shortage of digital talent in the public sector.

The barriers discussed during the event and set out in the summary are things currently lacking in Canada’s digital ID ecosystem. More education about digital credentials, leadership and talent are needed, along with a sustainable business model and focus on use cases and user needs, the document states.

An Interac survey of Canadians, meanwhile, finds that only 6 percent believe their personal information is used only for its intended purpose, and many more believe it is used for nefarious purposes, like identity theft (31 percent). The survey finds that most Canadians want access to services online, but also hold organizations accountable for breaching their data, which means authentication tools that protect personal information are needed.

Interac sponsored the fall event, along with Incode, iProov and others.

The IdentityNORTH Winter Workshop is coming up on February 1 and 2 in Vancouver, B.C.

Article Topics

authentication  |  biometrics  |  Canada  |  digital ID  |  digital identity