Reports

During Covid lockdowns, Canadian governments assumed extraordinary powers that affected the daily lives of citizens. Vaccine passports, cellphone tracking, frozen bank accounts and the use of facial recognition technology revealed how readily new tools of surveillance and control could be deployed. At the same time, federal and provincial authorities have been quietly advancing a nationwide Digital Identity system. Marketed as a convenient way to access services and reduce fraud, Digital ID would consolidate personal information into a single electronic credential used across government and commercial transactions.
This report examines how Digital Identity is being developed in Canada and the role of public-private partnerships in advancing it. It argues that concentrating identity and personal data in one system risks giving governments unprecedented power over Canadians and their Charter freedoms.