Help with signing in to the CED Client Space portal

Welcome to this tutorial!

The GCKey is your passport to the Government of Canada's online services, including the CED Client Space Portal. This tutorial will guide you through the process of obtaining your GCKey. When you log in to the portal for the first time, you have the option of using a sign in partner or your GCKey.

You must use this method for all future logins to the account. On the CED Client Space Portal login page, click on the “Sign Up with GCKey” button at the bottom of the page. On the GCKey service homepage, click on the “Sign Up” button on the right-hand side of the screen. You will now be on the GCKey sign up page.

To continue, you must read and agree to the terms and conditions of use, then click on the “I Accept” button. First create your username and enter it in the box provided, then click on “Continue”.

Your username must be at least eight characters long and can be made up of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, special characters and digits. Choose a username that's easy to remember. Then create and confirm your password and click on “Continue”. Your password cannot contain three consecutive characters from your username. It must be between eight and 16 characters long, be made up of valid characters, and include at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter and one number.

You're almost there!

Now you need to set up your recovery questions, answers and hints that will help you if you forget your password. You can choose from a number of recovery questions. Select a question from the list provided. Enter the answer to your question in the “Recovery Answer” box. Then enter the name of a memorable person and a hint to help you identify them. Now you need to enter a memorable date. Use four characters for the year, two characters for the month and two characters for the day. Separate them with hyphens. In the box “Memorable Date Hint”, enter a word or two that will help you remember the memorable date. Click on “Continue”.

There's one last optional account recovery step. Enter and confirm your e-mail address in the fields provided, then click on “Continue”. If you don't want to provide an e-mail address, you can skip this step by clicking on “Skip”. You can always add an e-mail address later. Click on “Continue” to verify your e-mail address. A confirmation code will be sent to the e-mail address provided. Enter the confirmation code in the box to confirm your e-mail address and click on the “Continue” button. Recovery by e-mail is now complete. Click on “Continue”.

Congratulations, you've successfully created your GCKey! Click on “Continue” and proceed to the two-factor authentication setup step. See the guide and tutorial available on the CED website.

For more information about getting the GCKey, visit the CED website.

Welcome to this tutorial!

The two-factor authentication, also known as two-step verification or 2FA, is an additional step that you will have to perform each time you log into the portal using a GCKey or sign in partner. It is a mandatory additional security measure for accessing the online services of the Government of Canada, including the CED Client Space portal. This tutorial will guide you through the process for setting up your two-factor authentication. Before continuing, make sure you have a reliable mobile device and computer.

Let's take a look at how two-factor authentication works. Each time you access the portal, you'll need your login details and a unique access code generated by a trusted authentication app. Each time you access the portal, you'll need your login details and a unique access code generated by a trusted authentication app. First you need to install and set up an authentication app on one of your mobile devices. This step involves registering a secret key supplied by the portal in the app. This key enables the app to generate unique temporary authentication codes valid for just a few seconds. This method enhances the security of your account by ensuring that you are indeed the person authorized to access it.

Now let's move on to setting up two factor authentication on your account. On your computer, log into the portal using your GCKey or your sign in partner. You will be asked to choose between one of two methods. In this tutorial we'll be focusing on the recommended method using a smartphone or tablet. This method offers a better user experience. If you choose to use a desktop device, note that the setup steps are similar.

To begin, click on this “Set up your mobile device” option on the left side of the screen. To continue, you must read and agree to the terms and conditions of use, then click on the “I accept” button.

Start by preparing your mobile device. To do so, download an app from a reliable source such as the Apple Store or Google Play Store. If you already have an authentication app installed on your mobile device, you can skip this step. Otherwise, open the app download platform on your mobile device and search for “authentication”. You'll be able to choose from commonly used apps such as Google Authenticator and Microsoft Authenticator. Download the app of your choice.

Now go back to the web page already open on your computer. At the bottom of the web page, click on “Continue” to retrieve your QR code.

Then go back to your mobile device. Open the authentication app and get ready to save your secret key in the app. Start by selecting the option in your app to read a barcode or QR code. Scan the QR code on the screen by pointing your mobile devices camera at it. The app will automatically scan the code. Your secret key will be added to the app. If you are unable to scan the QR code, you can manually enter the secret key displayed on your computer screen into the app. Your key will then be added to the app under the name "Sign In Canada". A one-time six-digit code will appear just below it. This code is valid for a few seconds. If you didn't have time to enter it, don't worry, once the time has expired, a new code will be generated. Enter this code on the login web page on your computer in the field at the bottom of the screen and click Continue.

You're almost there!

You must securely record and save your recovery code shown on the screen. These codes will help you recover your two-factor authentication account if ever you are unable to access it. Check the box at the bottom of the screen to indicate that you have securely saved the codes.

Congratulations!

You have successfully enabled two-factor authentication for your portal account. Next time you visit the portal, first use your usual login method, that is your GCKey or your sign in partner. You will then have to complete the two-factor authentication step. In the field indicated, enter the six-digit code generated by your authentication app and click on “Continue”. This will allow you to validate your authentication and log into the portal.

For more information about setting up two-factor authentication, visit the CED website.