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Corporate profile

Who we are

Notarius was founded in 1996, out of the merger of the Chambre des notaires du Québec's Corporation de service and the Direction des technologies et des systèmes d'information notariale. Its main objective initially was to support the notary profession's transition into a virtual environment. Its mission was to implement a technological integration plan the goal of which was to bring Québec notaries on-line and acquire expertise in the new information technologies. This plan was without a doubt one of the most ambitious projects the profession had ever undertaken and it represented a turning point for Quebec's 3200 notaries.

The project resulted in the creation of an Intranet for the notary profession (Inforoute notariale) and a digital signatures system. More importantly, you can now benefit from the experience, knowledge and skills Notarius acquired in the course of this project to ensure the success of your projects, using the new technologies as a tool for rapid, efficient and secure communications.

Why partner with Notarius ?

Winner of the MIM d'Or in the electronic business category for its secure communications solutions, and winner in the technological innovations category at the Gala des Affaires électroniques, Notarius draws on its multiple resources to offer quality solutions to meet specific business needs. Precisely defined business needs require specially tailored technological applications and procedures. In other words, at Notarius, we believe that technology must serve an organization and not the other way around. Armed with the experience and knowledge acquired in setting up and managing a public key infrastructure system (PKI) to provide notaries with digital signatures (for which there is no equivalent in Canada or even North America), Notarius boasts a team of dedicated PKI specialists.

Committed to quality, Notarius has achieved ISO 9001 certification.

Assisted by the ISO 9001 management system we:

• Are constantly improving our skills and strengths in organizational management. This in turn allows us to improve our overall efficiency and effectiveness and to determine future actions based on our clients' particular needs and potential markets;
• Dispose of an enviable pool of skilled and experienced people, with a particular focus on the notary profession. We understand that we must attract and retain skilled and talented staff to form a team whose composition will enable us to successfully carry out our projects. Professional development and leadership skill development of our management teams are an ongoing priority because they must be able to function strategically and proactively and adapt to the reality of a constantly changing environment;
• Strive to provide our clients the best possible quality for the lowest cost. We realize that cost of services is vitally important to our clients. We determine where there is potential for introducing increased efficiency and effectiveness with a view to providing clients with quality services and solutions at the best possible price.

Our services

The Quebec certification centre

The Québec Certification Centre is a public key infrastructure developed by Notarius. This infrastructure enables its members and other clients to conduct absolutely secure and confidential electronic communications and transactions. The certification centre's role is to issue digital certificates containing previously verified information and confirming the identity of the key and certificate holder. One of Notarius' activities is to distribute and manage keys and certificates. We offer you this infrastructure to help you successfully meet your company's particular security and information transfer needs, whether transactional or legal in nature. Drawing on its experience in setting up and managing this infrastructure, Notarius can also assist you in setting up your own certification system.

PKI project management

At Notarius, we understand that developing a public key infrastructure consists of much more than simply wielding a technological tool. It involves integrating business objectives, security objectives in consideration of operational constraints and potential within a comprehensive technological infrastructure. A PKI must be broadly conceived. Notarius can help with every facet of constructing a public key infrastructure:

• Determining identification and authentication prerequisites;
• Adapting the PKI system to the business model, desired levels of security and operational prerequisites;
• Pilot projects (test concept);
• Determining procedures for certificate life cycle management;
• Developing the architecture and certificate validation processes;
• Defining use criteria;
• Acceptance test;
• Drawing up implementation plans;
• Integrating the PKI with other identification systems (tokens, biometrics, etc.)

Our experience in setting up and managing PKI systems gives us an understanding of the issues involved in designing or modifying a PKI to respond to new business and security challenges. Notarius offers you a team of experienced specialists, including:

• PKI technology experts
• Expertise with a specific PKI solution (Entrust)
• PKI project management
• Identity verification experts
• Professionals in designing identity verification procedures, certificate life cycle and general PKI management and legal counsel
• PKI management best practices

Training

The emergence of new technologies gives rise to new training needs. Drawing on its expertise in information technologies, Notarius provides its clients with training on recent technological developments and new market trends. We give courses on the use of the digital signature. Our specialized trainers will draw on their know-how to offer numerous tips and suggestions for facilitating your work and increasing your productivity.

Training is fundamental to the successful adoption of the digital signature as a work tool. The more rapidly companies integrate the digital signature into their business processes, the faster they will benefit from the possibilities it offers. Notarius can train:

• Your identity verification staff
• Your key management staff
• Your PKI system managers using the Entrust platform

Support

Neither you nor your users will be left hanging. Our client services team is there to answer technical or other questions concerning our products and services, from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Our clients can expect follow up and action on their request within 8 business hours. A help desk software program records calls so that we can post the answers to the most common questions on our frequently asked questions (FAQ) page.

Some of our projects at a glance

Notarius at the services of notaries

Notarius has clearly achieved its initial goal: to support the computerization of the notary profession and link Québec notaries in a vast Intranet. In November 1996, Notarius launched the Inforoute notariale, a secure communications network accessible only to members of the Chambre des notaires du Québec. The Inforoute was essential to enable Quebec notaries to connect with each other and their business partners. It also provides access to strategically important resources. Today, the Inforoute notariale counts among its clients 70% of the Chambre's members. The development of tools tailored to notarial practice has allowed "on-line" notaries to develop new areas of specialization. Digital signatures enable notaries to conduct secure, confidential and legally valid transactions with their business partners and each other.

Since its creation, Notarius has effectively supported the introduction of new technologies to the notary profession. It has also developed important tools to allow notaries to take advantage of the new communications systems. The Inforoute notariale and digital signature are excellent examples of this.

Notarius at the service of government

Notarius is associated with Bell, DMR Conseil Inc., and Iron Mountain Canada Corporation in a partnership known as Inforef. The Ministère de la Justice du Québec chose these companies to carry out the conversion of the Régistre foncier (Quebec's Land Registry)to a Web-based system. In December 2000, overall responsibility for the project (Système informatique du Registre foncier or SIFR) was transferred from the justice ministry to the Ministère des Ressources naturelles. The Ministère and its Inforef partners worked together on the administrative and technological solutions for this computerization project. The objectives were to set up interactive communications among land registry offices and their users, digitalize all the required documents and market the application.

The goal of the Ministère and its Inforef partners was to make it possible to update, convert, publish and obtain land-related information from anywhere in Québec. Inforef's solution for filing documents from anywhere in the province relies on the use of digital signatures for secure interactive communications with the Régistre foncier's software application.

The Government of Québec entrusted Notarius with the responsibility of setting up the necessary infrastructure to ensure the security and confidentiality of the Régistre foncier's electronic transactions. This major contract is a testimonial to Notarius' expertise in the field of public key infrastructures.

Notarius at the service of financial institutions

In March 2000, the Confédération des caisses populaires et d'économie Desjardins called on Notarius to implement new technological standards regarding mortgage loans while preserving the notary's role as public officer. Data required for processing mortgages was made accessible through Notarius' Intranet, Bell's e-commerce site (RCÉB) and the Internet. After the successful conclusion of the pilot project led by Notarius, the Desjardins movement instituted the system in all its credit unions. Since the spring of 2001 this system has been operating under the direction of BCE-Emergis and the Association professionnelle des notaires. On the request of the Desjardins movement Notarius concluded an agreement with BCE-Emergis to integrate digital signature functionality into BCE's technological platform so the process may be fully computerized. Other financial institutions across Canada have demonstrated strong interest in the possibilities offered by the system, which enables electronic information exchange and approval of legal documents such as mortgage loans.

Notarius at the service of business

Recently, a number of companies have come to understand the advantages and possibilities offered by electronic signature technology, in particular the verification and key management processes set up by Notarius in past projects. In 2003, SNC Lavalin asked Notarius to set up a public key infrastructure, including identity verification mechanisms and key management procedures. Their goal was to substantially speed up their information processing and project approval procedures and ensure the security and legal validity of their electronic communications and legal transactions. Once the project has been completed the company will save time and money and accelerate the project approval process.

Our services

Over the years, Notarius has collaborated with leading partners to carry out its various projects. We work with manufacturers, service providers, transport and technology integration services so we can offer our customers comprehensive solutions to answer their particular needs. These are some of our most distinguished partners:

- BCE Émergis
- Bell Canada
- Chambre des notaires du Québec
- DMR Conseil Inc.
- Entrust
- Iron Mountain Canada Corporation