Identity as infrastructure
By 2030, 85 % of Canadians will access government or financial services through digital ID platforms. Yet interoperability gaps persist across provinces, limiting scale and security.
| Jurisdiction | Digital ID Stage | User Adoption % | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Live (Verify Ontario) | 42 | ISED 2025 |
| B.C. | Mature (BC Services Card) | 77 | ISED |
| Quebec | Pilot | 18 | Québec numérique |
| Federal | Beta (Pan-Canadian Trust Framework) | 12 | Treasury Board 2025 |
Economic stakes
- Streamlined identity verification could save businesses $4 billion annually in fraud and admin costs (BoC).
- Lack of national integration increases cybersecurity risk and compliance duplication.
- Fintech, health, and e-commerce sectors depend on standardized authentication.
What leaders can do
- Adopt interoperable ID standards early. Align with the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework.
- Invest in privacy-enhancing tech such as zero-knowledge proofs.
- Integrate ID security in customer experience. Frictionless trust builds loyalty.
- Collaborate cross-sector. Digital ID is network infrastructure, not competition.
Arcus Insight: Identity is the next layer of economic infrastructure. Nations that secure digital trust will command global service exports.