Online or in line?

Believe it or not, most Ontarians are continuing to suffer through lineups in person to renew their driver’s licences.

According to the latest provincial government data, only 11.7 per cent of the 1.7 million licences between May 2015 and this past May were renewed online.

This despite the fact that ServiceOntario’s portal is remarkably straightforward for a government website, and the whole $81.50 transaction can take less than 10 minutes.

That compares with more than 88 per cent — or some 1.5 million transactions — that were done in person. Around 0.2 per cent — or 3,902 applicants — still used the mail to renew their licences.

While Ontario became the first province in Canada to renew licences online in 2013, the program has failed to catch on with motorists.

“Certain people are sort of creatures of habit,” said newly appointed Government and Consumer Services Minister Marie-France Lalonde, elevated to cabinet last month by Premier Kathleen Wynne.

“You receive documents in the mail so you assume . . . you would physically go in person to a ServiceOntario location,” said Lalonde.

“But online, I say to people, can save you time. Lines are not that long at ServiceOntario, but I’m sure Ontarians would like to spend their time in their backyards doing great things this summer,” she said.

“You’re saving an enormous amount of time. There’s been a lot of effort with this ministry to really improve the convenience aspects of ServiceOntario.”

To that end, Lalonde is launching a five-week digital advertising blitz to raise awareness of the web service.

“This is an initiative that we hope will grow that number,” the minister said, adding the government is banking members of the millennial generation to click more and line up less.

“We have a great opportunity here.”

Lalonde pointed out that there are more than 40 such government services that can be done online 24 hours a day at www.serviceontario.ca .

“We are going to be moving forward on other documents,” she said, noting health cards can be renewed online by 2018.

Most motorists can complete their business online unless they need a new photo — the same headshot can be used for 10 years even though licences must be renewed every five years — or if they are under suspension or owe traffic fines.

Those who have moved within the past three months or need a vision test or have certain medical conditions also have to get their licences in person.

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Renewing online requires only a driver’s licence number and a postal code.

Wynne’s Liberals, who will soon hire the province’s chief digital officer, are encouraging consumers to do more services from their computers, tablets and phones because they are cheaper to deliver.

Deputy Premier Deb Matthews, the new minister responsible for digital government, has said the strategy will save the province money and improve service delivery.

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