We are actively recruiting a broad representation of stakeholders from industry, academia, federal/provincial/municipal government and civil society to participate in our initiative to develop standards and conformity assessment tools for digital credentials and digital trust services in Canada. 

This initiative is a partnership between the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and the Government of Canada that aims to develop tools that establish trust, enable national and international interoperability, and mitigate risks of platform capture and industry fragmentation. 

Now that the Technical Specification (DGSI/TS 115) is published by the Digital Governance Standards Institute, we will begin testing that it is well-suited for its purpose by piloting a prototype conformity assessment scheme. 

The Technical Specification specifies a methodology for testing and criteria to be achieved to claim a system’s compliance in issuing, managing, storing, presenting or verifying machine-readable digital credentials.

Get involved

The pilot is full at this time but we may be able to include you. Send us an email if you would like to be involved: accreditation@scc.ca

There are three streams depending on your role. 

1.    I have a product and want to get it evaluated to test the technical specification (DGSI/TS 115)

Who should sign-up?
Stakeholders that develop or distribute digital credentials tools and/or digital trust services that have product(s) they want evaluated against DGSI/TS 115 by a conformity assessment body. They will provide SCC and the Government of Canada with feedback to help evaluate the Technical Specification and the conformity assessment program. 

2.    I am conformity assessment body and want to test the pilot conformity assessment scheme and accreditation program based on the technical specification (DGSI/TS 115)

Who should sign-up?
Conformity assessment bodies that are ISO/IEC 17065 accredited by an International Accreditation Forum (IAF) recognized accreditation body, or have submitted their application with SCC towards that accreditation, that want to evaluate digital credential tools and/or digital trust services against DGSI/TS 115. They will provide SCC and the Government of Canada with feedback to help evaluate the Technical Specification, and the conformity assessment and accreditation program.

3.    I want to join the observation committee to get updates on the project and provide insights 

Who should sign-up?

Anyone interested in the project is invited to join the observation committee. This group will meet regularly to discuss the findings, challenges and gaps that emerge during the prototype conformity assessment program and offer insights to inform the project as it evolves.

Background information

This project follows a four-phase approach with on-going opportunities for consultation and feedback from national and international stakeholders.

• Phase 1 – Landscape scan of national and international standards activities for digital credentials (completed)
• Phase 2 – Technical Specification & Prototype Accreditation Program sets baseline requirements for interoperability and trust amongst digital credentials issuers, verifiers, and holders (completed)
• Phase 3 – Prototype conformity assessment program pilots the Technical Specification and assesses stakeholder impact.
• Phase 4 – Full-scale conformity assessment and accreditation program incorporates lessons-learned from the prototype and meets overall project goals.

What gaps will the accreditation program address?

• Foster standardization for the future digital credential ecosystem
• Establish a baseline for trust
• Enable interoperability across jurisdictions and economic sectors
• Mitigate risks of vendor lock-in, ecosystem fragmentation, and platform capture

About the Standards Council of Canada

Since 1970, the Standards Council of Canada has helped make life safer, healthier, more prosperous and sustainable for people, communities and businesses in Canada through the power of standardization. SCC works with a vast network of partners nationally and around the world, acting as Canada’s voice on standards and accreditation on the international stage, including as a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

As the country’s leading accreditation organization, SCC creates market confidence at home and abroad by ensuring conformity assessment bodies meet the highest expectations. In all these ways, SCC opens a world of possibilities.