We live in a world where you can file your taxes, renew your car registration, or even order a passport online — but then discover another government service still requires printing, mailing, or standing in line at an office. Why, in 2025, are some services still offline?
The Reasons Behind the Lag
Legal requirements: Some laws still mandate wet signatures or in-person verification.
Security concerns: Agencies worry certain high-risk services could be hacked if digitized too quickly.
Complexity: Services that require multiple departments (or levels of government) are hardest to put online.
Equity concerns: Governments fear going fully digital could exclude seniors, rural residents, or those without internet.
Funding gaps: Digitization costs money, and modernization projects often get delayed or underfunded.
Bureaucratic inertia: Sometimes it’s simply “the way it’s always been done.”
Canadian Context
Passport renewals: While progress has been made, full online applications remain limited.
Healthcare services: Vary widely by province — some offer digital health records, others still rely on fax machines.
Court systems: Many filings remain paper-based despite years of talk about e-courts.
Municipal services: Property tax and building permits often lag far behind federal or provincial services.
The Challenges
Fragmentation: Each department modernizes at its own pace, with no unified national push.
Public frustration: Citizens expect online options but are often left with a patchwork of partial digitization.
Trust: If digital options aren’t secure or reliable, people (and governments) hesitate to rely on them fully.
The Opportunities
Hybrid models: Keep in-person access while expanding digital services for those who prefer them.
Regulatory updates: Modernize laws that lock services into paper processes.
Digital identity systems: If designed well, could unlock more online services securely.
Citizen pressure: Public demand for convenience may be the strongest force pushing lagging services online.
The Bigger Picture
When essential services remain offline, they reinforce inequities. People with mobility challenges, caregiving responsibilities, or rural addresses pay the highest cost for a lack of modernization.
The Question
Should Canada set a national standard that all essential services must be available online by a certain date — while still preserving offline options for those who need them?
Why Some Services Still Aren’t Online
The Paper Problem in a Digital Age
We live in a world where you can file your taxes, renew your car registration, or even order a passport online — but then discover another government service still requires printing, mailing, or standing in line at an office. Why, in 2025, are some services still offline?
The Reasons Behind the Lag
Canadian Context
The Challenges
The Opportunities
The Bigger Picture
When essential services remain offline, they reinforce inequities. People with mobility challenges, caregiving responsibilities, or rural addresses pay the highest cost for a lack of modernization.
The Question
Should Canada set a national standard that all essential services must be available online by a certain date — while still preserving offline options for those who need them?