Toronto 
Ontario has announced Service Ontario will be eliminating paper renewal notices for products like driver’s licences and health cards and will be shifting to digital reminders like emails and phone calls.
The province says this move will save up to $29 million over five years in postage and mailing costs and will also benefit the environment by saving approximately 80 million pieces of paper – roughly 16,000 boxes or 362 tonnes.
Service Ontario has made more than 40 services available online through Service with 24/7 access, with products mailed directly to you and the option to print proof of renewal right at home. Renewal of permanent Accessible Parking Permits and Ontario Photo Cards is also available online.
Most driver’s licences, licence plate stickers, and health cards expire on your birthday. Those who want to set up renewal notices 60 and 30 days before it’s time to renew their licence plate sticker, driver’s licence or health card can do so online. They will receive courtesy renewal reminders by email, text, or phone call.
Exemptions:
The province has provided some exemptions for select age groups and license types. They will continue to receive paper renewal letters in the mail for these products.
Exemptions for driver’s licence holders and vehicle owners
Mailed renewal notices for driver’s licence holders and vehicle owners will continue for:
- individuals aged 70 years and older
- individuals with a driver’s licence class A, B, C, D, E, or F
- individuals with endorsements that require additional testing (i.e airbrake)
- individuals who have a licence plate sticker associated with a company/fleet vehicle
- individuals who have jointly owned vehicles, and
- heavy commercial vehicles
Exemptions for health card holders
Mailed renewal notices for health card holders will continue for:
- individuals age 16 and under
- individuals age 70 and above
- individuals living in remote locations or isolated communities (e.g. no in-person ServiceOntario locations are available) and where renewals are done by mail with the assistance of nursing stations
- individuals residing in a publicly funded long-term care facility where renewals are done via fax or by mail, and
- individuals with a health card that has a definite end date, temporary foreign workers, homeless, foreign clergy, migrant farm workers, temporary resident permit holders, applicant for permanent resident, applicant for citizenship, or where coverage has otherwise been ended where renewals are done at public offices only and need to provide additional documents in order to renew
You can also search land registration records online as the land registry is now available on the web.
Detailed information is available here.
