Privacy notice for Sign in Canada users

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General Service Definition

Sign in Canada is an online service that provides a secure and easy way to access multiple government programs and services. With the help of a credential like GCkey or a bank partner, Sign in Canada’s Multi-Factor Authentication (SIC MFA) service lets you securely sign into government agencies’ services.

The service is designed to make it easier and more secure for you to manage federal benefits, services, and applications. Sign in Canada works with other federal agencies (called “relying parties”) to give you access to their services.

Sign in Canada takes security seriously and uses strong measures to protect your account. The service also respects your privacy by collecting only the necessary information from you and sharing it only with the relying parties that need it to give you access to their service.

We collect your personal information

Your personal information includes your phone number. Information is collected only for the purpose of issuing and managing access to Government of Canada systems and applications and provide you with necessary communications. If you do not wish to use a phone number to access electronic services, you may apply for the service by phone, fax, mail, or in person.

For further details, refer to the corresponding relying party’s service contact information.

The personal information collected and used for signing up into a service is stored in Personal Information Bank PCU 607. This personal information will be retained for at least two years.

We use web analytics

We use analytics software to collect and store information about your visit to our site. This information includes:

• Environmental information such as the location of your IP address, the language you are browsing in, and the technical specifications of the device and browser you are using;
• Behavioural information such as the date and time of your visit, the pages you visit, links you clicked on the site, and the name of the domain from which you access the Internet
• Acquisition information such as the Internet address of the website you came from if it linked you directly the SIC MFA service
• If your browser accepts cookies, we may use a session cookie to learn how many different visitors come to Sign in Canada

This data is used to:

• help us make our site more useful using statistics to assess what services are of most and least interest to our clients and determine technical design specifications;
• identify system performance or problem areas;
• protect the security of our website, identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or to otherwise cause damage;
• identify and resolve any problems or difficulties you encounter in attempting to sign into our sites.

We share some information

In the event of suspected security or privacy breaches, personal information may be shared with departmental security and access to information and privacy officials, as well as the federal government department or agency which collects and uses the personal information considered to have been compromised. The information may be shared with law enforcement authorities if we suspect criminal activities or other services that perform electronic network monitoring. This information is used for no other purposes and is scheduled for regular destruction in accordance with the Library and Archives of Canada Act and the Privacy Act.  

We do not:

• Authorize other services to use your information for anything unrelated to Sign in Canada
• Sell or rent your personal information.
• Share your personal information for marketing purposes.

We protect your privacy

We handle your information under the Access to Information Act, Financial Administration Act,  Privacy Act and Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act.  

We also follow Appendix E: Standard on Privacy in Web Analytics of the Directive on Privacy Practices.

You have privacy rights

The law requires that we protect your privacy. You have the right to access and review your personal information. Use your SIC MFA service to check, correct, or update your information. 

If you have any questions, concerns and complaints regarding this notice, or the administration of the Privacy Act in connection with your SIC MFA service please contact the Access to Information and Privacy Protection Division by email at atip-aiprp@ssc-spc.gc.ca or by writing to the following address:

Director, Access to Information and Privacy

Shared Services Canada 

PO Box 9808, STN T, CSC

Ottawa ON K1G 4A8

You also have the right to raise concerns about how we handle your personal information. To learn more or to make a formal complaint, contact the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

Each relying party also has their own Privacy Policy. For more information, please refer to the corresponding Terms and Conditions and Privacy Notices on each relying party’s web page.