Question Period Note: COVID ALERT NATIONAL EXPOSURE NOTIFICATION APP

On June 18, 2020, the Prime Minister announced a national exposure notification app that uses technology designed by Google and Apple. Since then, the provinces of Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, New-Brunswick and Saskatchewan have also adopted the app. As of Monday September 21, the app has been downloaded 2.7 million times.

● The assessment provided by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner declared that strong measures have been adopted by the government to ensure that the identity of users is protected and not disclosed to the government of Canada. In voicing support, the Commissioner himself stated he would use the app.

● The Canadian Digital Service worked with volunteers from Shopify to build the app, and with cyber security experts from the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) and the Government of Ontario to ensure that the system has been designed and deployed securely.

COVID Alert was built in the open, allowing for scrutiny by independent researchers. Improvements to the app continue based on research with, and feedback from, partners, stakeholders and members of the public.

● In partnership with Health Canada, CDS designed and developed the COVID Alert app based on open source software code originally developed by Shopify volunteers. It received security reviews from the Centre for Cyber Security and BlackBerry.
● It provides exposure notifications to Canadians, to help them understand when they may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
● Exposure notification uses Bluetooth technology via an application that is downloaded to mobile devices. This is different from conventional contact tracing done by public health officials, a manual process requiring extensive personal information.
● The Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) was consulted during the development of COVID Alert. The consultation began in June 2020, coordinated by Health Canada. TBS officials from CDS provided technical briefings to the OPC on several occasions. The OPC provided a draft report with recommendations on July 10th.
● TBS, Health Canada, and other involved departments acted on the OPC's recommendations. These included several changes to the privacy language in the COVID Alert app, to better enable meaningful, informed consent.
● TBS and Health Canada will continue to consult with the OPC on any changes to the app.
● The app was launched July 31st. It is available nationwide. Ontario was the first province to integrate its healthcare system to distribute the one-time keys necessary for people to upload their random codes when they receive a positive diagnosis of COVID-19. Since then, Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan have also onboarded to full functionality. Conversations and efforts continue with other provinces and territories to bring their healthcare systems onboard as soon as possible.

● COVID Alert, a national exposure notification app, was announced June 18th, 2020. It was launched July 31st, after approximately 45 days of design and development efforts.
● As of September 21, COVID Alert has been downloaded 2.7 M times, with 350 one-time keys claimed in the app.
● Ontario was the first province to integrate its healthcare system to distribute the one-time keys necessary for people to upload their random codes when they receive a positive diagnosis of COVID-19.
● Since then, Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan have also onboarded to full functionality. Conversations and efforts continue with other provinces and territories to bring their healthcare systems onboard as soon as possible, with P.E.I. and Manitoba slated to onboard in the coming weeks.