ID safety in Canada: where to keep copies of your ID and when to send them

A landlord, an employer or a new bank can each ask for a copy of a Canadian ID, and every copy you send or keep is one more place your details live. These guides help you keep fewer copies, lock the ones you need and say no when a request goes too far.

Read the safety plan for Canadian ID copies on your phone to decide which documents belong on the phone at all, and how to lock, limit and clean up copies of a passport, licence, PR card or health card. Before you answer a request, read who can ask for a photo of your ID, and when to say no: who may require a SIN or a health card, how to send the minimum, and who to call if a copy is misused.