The Government of Canada is disputing claims that it is building a mandatory national digital ID, saying in a written response to Parliament that it is not implementing a single federal credential that Canadians must use to access services or pay taxes.
The response was issued to a written question from Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu, who asked about the government’s plan, progress, and implementation dates for a digital identification that would be mandatory for government services. The government’s January 26 response frames federal activity as voluntary and tied to specific service programs, rather than a universal identity credential.
Instead, the response points to shared digital credential infrastructure being developed by the Canadian Digital Service (CDS). One example is GC Issue and Verify, described as a platform intended to let departments issue and validate digital versions of the credentials they already provide, such as permits and licences. In this model, departments decide whether to offer a digital credential, and credential holders control when and where it is shared.
On the authentication side, Ottawa is also moving toward a more consistent sign-in approach through GC Sign in, positioned as a common authentication layer that departments can adopt rather than maintaining separate login systems.
The response emphasizes that digital channels remain optional and that physical documents and existing service paths continue to be available. It also does not describe a universal biometric onboarding requirement tied to GC Issue and Verify or GC Sign in, keeping the focus on consent-based digital credentials and program-specific implementation choices.
Sources: Parliament of Canada, Government of Canada, Canadian Digital Service
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By the Mobile ID World Editorial Team
