Ontario's digital IDs won't be available until next year

Nov 17 2021, 7:11 pm

Ontario’s plans to release digital IDs have been pushed back until 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The digital ID was expected to be rolled out in late 2021, but because efforts were put towards creating digital vaccine certificates in the province, the digital IDs haven’t been the first priority for the Associate Ministry of Digital Government.

“The priority and resources in the Associate Ministry of Digital Government had to shift to support the Ministry of Health’s pandemic response, specifically with the successful release of the Verify Ontario app for businesses, which makes it easier to confirm people have been vaccinated while protecting their privacy,” a spokesperson for the ministry told Daily Hive.

The digital ID will be compatible with digital wallets on smart phones, computers, and tablets. It will be able to be used for proof of age, to pick up packages at the post office, to open a bank account and more.

There’s not yet a firm date on when the digital IDs will roll out in the province, but the Associate Ministry of Digital Government told Daily Hive it will be sometime next year.

“We want to get [Digital Identity] right and ensure that privacy and security continue to be a top priority,” the spokesperson said. “More details on the launch of the DI initiative, including timing and specifics, will be announced in 2022.”

 

Brooke TaylorBrooke Taylor

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