Frequently asked questions about OSB’s new login procedures

The safeguarding of clients’ information online is a priority for the Government of Canada. Accordingly, the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB) is continuing to improve its online services to better protect your account information. 

Recently, all Licensed Insolvency Trustees using the OSB License Administration Application (OLAA) were migrated to a new identity management system at ISED that uses GCKey or Sign-in Partner (Verified.Me) credentials.  Soon, we will be enabling this across our other services, and for all users, including:

  • Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) online application
  • OSB E-Filing, and
  • Insolvency Record Search (IRS)

With this new secure login, we hope to make it easier to access OSB services, and eliminate the need for clients to have multiple login accounts and credentials. 

The new process will include:

  • Providing a new sign-in method for these OSB services by allowing all clients to choose to login with either their GCKey or Sign-In Partner (Verified.Me) credentials.
  • Migrating all OSB online services to the My ISED Account.
  • Introducing 2-step verification as an enhanced security measure to better protect OSB clients’ personal and business information.

Table of contents

General information on login credentials

A. Questions On the Changes Coming for OSB Services Login

  1. What is changing with your login and why? 
  2. What is a My ISED Account? 
  3. Why are OSB applications migrating to the My ISED Account? 
  4. What applications are affected?
  5. When are these services being migrated to the My ISED Account?

B. I am a Licensed Insolvency Trustee (LIT).

  1. How do I access OSB Services after they are migrated to the My ISED Account? 
  2. I already have an OLAA My ISED Account. Do I need to create separate My ISED Accounts and GCKeys to use CCAA, E-filing or INS after the migration?
  3. I did not migrate my OLAA login to the My ISEDAccount. What do I do? 
  4. I have a My ISED Account but I forgot my GCKey login. What do I do? 
  5. What is the My ISED Account recovery process? 
  6. What if my email address has changed? What if I have lost access to my email? 

C. Managing your OSB accounts 

  1. Should all employees that work for me have their own online account? 
  2. What about employees who currently login on behalf of a company? How will they get online access? 
  3. I currently have two (2) ISED accounts to access OSB online services - Will I be able to combine the 2 ISED accounts? 
  4. Can the GCKey or Sign-in Partner credentials be shared between multiple people? 
  5. We have a unique single account that we have been using in our team linked to one of our team members. In this case, will we be required to create a new email for each individual in the team before August 14, 2022? 
  6. If there is a general email address now connected to ISED account(s), can that be kept?

D. I am a Clerk. 

  1. How do I access OSB Services?

E. Questions on My ISED Account Secure Login Services (GCKey / Sign-In Partner)

  1. What are secure login services? (General My ISED Account Question)
  2. What is GCKey?
  3. Why has the Government of Canada introduced GCKey? 
  4. Can I use the same GCKey used at OSB to access other federal programs and services?
  5. Who has access to the information that I submit when I register for a GCKey?
  6. Do I need to setup a separate GCKey account to access only OSB online services?
  7. Can I create a separate GCKey to be used exclusively for OSB online services?
  8. If we change firms, do we keep our GCKey or will need to create a new one? If keeping, can we then associate that with our new firm and with a new email?
  9. I remember in the past it was not possible to recover a GCKey account once the username or password was lost. 
  10. What is a Sign-In Partner (Verified.Me)?
  11. What are the advantages of using my Sign-in Partner online banking credentials?
  12. Is any of my banking information shared if I use the Sign-in Partner login service?
  13. Are the Sign-in Partner credentials as secure as those issued by the Government of Canada? 
  14. The bank I do business with is not on the list of financial partners. What alternative do I have to access government services online? 
  15. I bank with one of the financial partners on your list, but I’m not registered to bank online. Am I still able to access my Government of Canada account using my financial partner?
  16. My bank knows who I am, why do I still have to provide my basic identity information to enroll in a Government of Canada service? 
  17. Why is the Government of Canada offering users a choice of login provider credentials?
  18. Can I use both GCKey and Sign-In Partner?
  19. I am already enrolled with one Government of Canada service, why do I have to provide basic identity information again to enroll in services with other departments?
  20. Who sees my credential information?

General information on login credentials

A. Questions On the Changes Coming for OSB Services Login

1. What is changing with your login and why?

ISED is replacing the IC Registration login with a more secure login, using GCKey or Sign-in Partner (banking login credentials), to provide its clients with a trusted, secure and accessible identity and authentication service.

The timing of this change is meant to address recent and pressing concerns related to fraud attempts and cyber security attacks against our government programs. The goal is to improve security around identity management while improving client experience.

You will only have to remember one set of username/password combinations to connect to all OSB and ISED online services using a My ISED Account.

2. What is a My ISED Account?

The My ISED Account provides a single secure, digital service window based on your online profile to access all of OSB’s and ISED’s online services, using one set of login credentials: your GC Key or Sign-in Partner (online banking login).

3. Why are OSB applications migrating to the My ISED Account?

The safeguarding of clients’ information online is a priority for the Government of Canada. Accordingly, the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB) is continuing to improve its online services to better protect your account information. 

Recently, all Licensed Insolvency Trustees using the OSB License Administration Application (OLAA) were migrated to a new My ISED Account identity management system at ISED that uses GCKey or Sign-in Partner (Verified.Me) credentials.  Coming soon, we will be enabling this across our other services, and for all users, including:

With this new secure login, we hope to make it easier to access OSB services, and eliminate the need for clients to have multiple login accounts and credentials.

4. What applications are affected?

5. When are these services being migrated to the My ISED Account?

CCAA and E-filing are scheduled to be migrated to the My ISED Account in August. The migration of IRS is to be determined.


B. I am a Licensed Insolvency Trustee (LIT). 

1. How do I access OSB Services after they are migrated to the My ISED Account?

You can use your OLAA My ISED Account to access CCAA, E-filing and INS, after the migration.  You will be able to start using the login credentials you currently use for OLAA, immediately, to access the other OSB services as they are migrated.

2. I already have an OLAA My ISED Account.  Do I need to create separate My ISED Accounts and GCKeys to use CCAA, E-filing or INS after the migration?

No,  the same My ISED Account and login credential (GC Key or Sign-in Partner) will be used to access all services.

3. I did not migrate my OLAA login to the My ISED Account.  What do I do?

Contact OSB Support to request or call 514-604-1327 or 343-548-1380 for help.

4. I have a My ISED Account but I forgot my GCKey login.  What do I do?

Contact GCKey Support. It is highly recommended you recover your GCKey login to maintain easy access to your account.  If you must create a new GCKey you will need to run the My ISED Account recovery process (see Section B5).

5. What is the My ISED Account recovery process?

The My ISED Account recovery process allows you to use a new set of login credentials (GCKey or Sign-in Partner) with your existing My ISED Account, ensuring that you maintain access OSB online services.

  1. Go to the OSB Login page
  2. Choose the login method you want to use/switch to
  3. Login with your new credential
  4. You will be asked to link your new credential to a My ISED Account. Ensure you provide the email address that is in your existing My ISED Account.  If you do not provide a matching address, a new My ISED Account will be created but it will not have access to your OSB services.  You will need to contact OSB Support to rectify this issue.

6. What if my email address has changed?  What if I have lost access to my email? 

Contact OSB Support to request an email address change for your My ISED Account or call 514-604-1327 or 343-548-1380 for help.


C. Managing your OSB accounts

1. Should all employees that work for me have their own online account?

Yes.  Everyone that needs to do business online on behalf of your company must have their own My ISED Account and GCKey or Sign-in Partner credentials.

2. What about employees who currently login on behalf of a company? How will they get online access?

Each user/individual/employee must have their own My ISED Account and GCKey or Sign-in Partner credentials.  The account can no longer be shared among members of the same firm/company.

3. I currently have two (2) ISED accounts to access OSB online services - Will I be able to combine the 2 ISED accounts?

The migration process will automatically merge your two accounts into a single new My ISED Account.

4. Can the GCKey or Sign-in Partner credentials be shared between multiple people?

No.  They can only be used by one individual.

5. We have a unique single account that we have been using in our team linked to one of our team members. In this case, will we be required to create a new email for each individual in the team before August 14, 2022?

Yes.  Everyone that needs to do business online on behalf of your company, with OSB, must have their own GCKey or Sign-In Partner credential, and their own My ISED Account. Each My ISED Account profile requires a unique email address.

6. If there is a general email address now connected to ISED account(s), can that be kept?

We do not recommend that you use a general email address in your My ISED Account profile. The email address should be unique and specific to the user owning the account.

In E-filing, Certificates and Letters of Comment can still be sent to a general email address.


D. I am a Clerk. 

1. How do I access OSB Services?

Before Migration Day:

  • You can provide your email address in the E-filing service before migration day.
  • You can ask your trustee to provide you access.

On or after migration day, you will receive an email with a link to create a My ISED Account that will allow you access to these services.

On / After Migration Day:

I received an email asking me to create a My ISED Account.  How do I create the account?

  1. Click the link in the email provided
  2. Enter the PIN contained in the email
  3. Log in using your GC Key or Sign-In Partner (online banking) credentials. If you don’t already have one, you will need to create one.

E.  Questions on My ISED Account Secure Login Services (GCKey / Sign-In Partner)

1. What are secure login services? (General My ISED Account Question)

A secure login service (i.e., GC Key and Sign-In Partner) issues a unique electronic credential (username and password) that allows you to log in securely with online government services.

2. What is GCKey?

GCKey is an official electronic credential issued by the Government of Canada that allows clients to communicate securely with online-enabled government programs and services.

3. Why has the Government of Canada introduced GCKey?

The Government of Canada has created GCKey to remove the complexity and challenges of managing multiple username/password combinations in accessing federal programs and services. With GCKey, clients will only have to remember one username and password to connect to all federal government programs and services.

4. Can I use the same GCKey used at OSB to access other federal programs and services?

Yes.

5. Who has access to the information that I submit when I register for a GCKey?

The GCKey service does not share your registration information with ISED or any other third party. The information you provide is held by the Government of Canada and is protected under the federal Privacy Act.

6. Do I need to set up a separate GCKey account to access only OSB online services?

If you have done business online with other federal departments, you should use the same GCKey credential to connect with OSB.  No personal information is exchanged during the authentication process.  At no time is any personal information passed from GCKey to OSB, ISED, or the Government of Canada.

7. Can I create a separate GCKey to be used exclusively for OSB online services?

Yes, but we do not recommend having multiple GCKeys to access Government of Canada services.

8. If we change firms, do we keep our GCKey or will need to create a new one? If keeping, can we then associate that with our new firm and with a new email?

The GCKey belongs to a person and not the firm.  You will not need to create a new one if you are changing firms.  We can associate your new firm with your GCKey.

You will need to contact OSB support to get the email address on your my ISED Account changed.

9. I remember in the past it was not possible to recover a GCKey account once the username or password was lost.

The GC Key service has its own rules on recovering username and password.  If you have not used the GCKey account for a period of time, access may be revoked.  For further information, please review the GCKey - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (clegc-gckey.gc.ca)

10. What is a Sign-In Partner (Verified.Me)?

Sign-In Partner, also referred to as Verified.Me, is a credential login service that acts as a bridge between Government of Canada online services and participating Canadian banks (Sign-In Partners) to login with your online banking username and password. None of your banking personal or financial information is shared with OSB, ISED, or the Government of Canada when you use the Sign-in Partner service.

11. What are the advantages of using my Sign-in Partner online banking credentials?

Your online banking credentials may be easy to remember if you use them on a regular basis.

It may also be convenient to access Government of Canada services without needing to create a new username and password.

12. Is any of my banking information shared if I use the Sign-in Partner login service?

No. None of your banking, personal or financial information is shared with OSB, ISED, or the Government of Canada when you use the Sign-in Partner service In addition, the OSB, ISED, and the Government of Canada do not know which financial partner you have used. Similarly, no information about the government service being accessed by the user is shared with your bank.

13. Are the Sign-in Partner credentials as secure as those issued by the Government of Canada?

Yes. The same login process and security requirements are used for the financial partner credentials and the government-branded credential called GCKey. Your privacy is respected in that no personally identifiable information such as name, birth date etc. is exchanged during the login process.

14. The bank I do business with is not on the list of financial partners. What alternative do I have to access government services online?

Individuals who do not have a credential (i.e., username and password) with one of the financial partners can use the government-issued credential, GCKey.

15. I bank with one of the financial partners on your list, but I’m not registered to bank online. Am I still able to access my Government of Canada account using my financial partner?

To log in using a Sign-in Partner, you must be registered for online banking access. Contact your bank for assistance.

16. My bank knows who I am, why do I still have to provide my basic identity information to enroll in a Government of Canada service?

When using the Sign-in Partner service, your bank does not provide any identity information to OSB, ISED, or the Government of Canada. It simply validates your username or card number and password. Each government service requires your personal information based on their specific needs and to determine eligibility or entitlement.

17. Why is the Government of Canada offering users a choice of login provider credentials?

By offering a choice of credentials, the government is making its online services more convenient for clients to access. Many individuals regularly use their online credentials for banking or paying bills (with their financial institution), so being able to use the same credential from a known provider to access government services online means one less username and password for clients to remember. At no time is any personal information passed from a login provider (e.g. bank) to the government.

18. Can I use both GCKey and Sign-In Partner?

It is recommended that you use the same login provider each time.

19. I am already enrolled with one Government of Canada service, why do I have to provide basic identity information again to enroll in services with other departments?

Each government service or program requests your personal information based on their specific requirements and to determine eligibility or entitlement. The Government of Canada must adhere to the Privacy Act, which restricts the information that can be shared between departments and agencies.

20. Who sees my credential information?

No one. Your credential information is kept confidential in accordance to Government of Canada privacy and security standard.