What to know
- The Ontario government will begin consultations for a digital identification program in late 2026, for roll out sometime in 2027.
- The Ontario Photo Card will be the first ID introduced, before expanding to digital drivers licenses and health cards at a later date.
- Enrolment into the digital program is optional, as the province says it intends to introduce legislation that will “protect Ontarians’ right to obtain and use only physical identification.”
- No rollout date has been announced yet.
Starting in 2027, forgetting your physical identification cards will seem like a problem of the past, with Ford’s government’s plan to introduce digital credentials.
On Friday, the province announced a phased introduction of electronic digital ID cards, starting with the purple Ontario Photo Card — which is given to residents without a driver’s license — before expanding to digital drivers licenses and health cards at a later date.
Over the next couple months, the provincial government will hold consultations to develop the program, claiming it will “support a more seamless and connected customer experience while providing an added layer of security by reducing the risk of lost or stolen identification and identity theft.”
“As we modernize government services, we’re making identification more secure, convenient and cost-effective,” Stephen Crawford, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement, said in a press release.
“Digital credentials will provide a trusted and seamless way to present identification, helping protect personal information while retaining every Ontario resident’s right to use physical I.D.”
Currently, a rollout date has not been announced.
For those who don’t want to entrust their identification to an app, the province says it intends to introduce legislation that will “protect Ontarians’ right to obtain and use only physical identification.”
“Digital credentials would be optional, offering more choice and flexibility for Ontarians,” the press release reads.
“The province will engage ministries, stakeholders and the public to inform this work and ensure any changes are introduced in a way that protects privacy, builds public trust and meets the needs of Ontarians.”
Through implementing this new program, Ontario will join the ranks of British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec, which have already introduced forms of digital identification. B.C introduced the BC Services App in 2018, Alberta launched the Alberta.ca account in 2015, and Quebec has plans to roll out digital ID by 2028.
Ontarians aren’t entirely convinced
On social media, Ontarians seem fairly skeptical of this announcement, with the majority of concerns surrounding the privacy risks of a digital ID app and whether it’s a smart use of taxpayer money.
One person on X commented, “Constant data breaches and hacking and you think I trust you to keep my ID safe online ? You are out of your minds.”
The timing helped fuel some of that skepticism.
Just days before Ontario’s announcement, some federal government websites were temporarily taken offline while officials patched two critical vulnerabilities affecting PHP, software widely used to operate websites.
Federal officials said the shutdowns were precautionary and there was no indication government systems or information had been compromised.
Someone else agreed, writing, “What a bunch of clowns. Let’s announce digital ID two days after 90% of government websites had to be pulled down over an AI discovered exploit. Cyber security is no longer a thing. Never will be again. Stick with paper.”
Another Ontarian addressed the difficulties of finding a family physician, commenting, “Family doctors, we said family doctors, not digital IDs.”
