Ontario's Digital ID

Ontario's Digital ID is a government-led digital identity initiative that aims to provide citizens with a secure, privacy-preserving way to prove their identity online and in person. The system is built on Self-Sovereign Identity principles and utilizes several key technical standards including W3C Verifiable Credentials, OpenID Connect, and specifications from the Decentralized Identity Foundation.

The technical implementation leverages multiple core components including verifiable credentials, digital wallets, and a verifiable data registry using distributed ledger technology. Key privacy features include zero-knowledge proofs for data minimization, user consent requirements, and credential anonymity. The system supports various DID methods including did:web, did:key, and did:peer, along with signature formats like BBS+ and EdDSA for cryptographic verification.

The project was announced in October 2020 as part of Ontario's broader digital transformation initiative. Notable progress includes:

• Publishing technical specifications and standards
• Conducting public consultations on the policy framework
• Piloting digital identity services at four Ontario hospitals
• Engaging with private sector partners on implementation

  Early adoption has begun in healthcare, with Niagara Health patients among the first to access diagnostic records through the digital identity service

The project aims to enable digital identity verification for various use cases including:

• Government services and benefits
• Age verification
• Banking and financial services
• Healthcare access
• Package pickup verification