Ontario's Digital and Data Strategy

  1. Equipped to succeed
  2. Safe and secure
  3. Connected
  4. Supported

Minister’s foreword

Photo of Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy

Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy

The people of Ontario deserve a government that meets them when and where they need it during their day-to-day lives. Moreover, the COVID‑19 pandemic has demonstrated that we simply cannot be an offline government in an online world. That is why our government has developed its first Digital and Data Strategy.

This ambitious strategy is an important step in making the province a world-leading digital jurisdiction. The people of Ontario have come to expect services delivered at unprecedented speed and convenience, and to have those same services available at their fingertips. I believe that government should be no different.

To meet those expectations, we launched the Ontario Onwards Action Plan this past October, which is bringing major change to government by embracing technology and harnessing innovation. A month later, we announced the $500-million Ontario Onwards Acceleration Fund to provide the resources necessary to speed up our transformation of key programs and services. Through this fund, we are investing in projects with measurable results that improve the way that people and businesses interact with government.

We’re building more convenient, reliable, and accessible government services, saving the people of Ontario both time and money. In short, we’re improving customer service across the whole of government.

For example:

  • Digital first for health is providing new and improved digital health solutions to frontline care personnel, so that they can rapidly and securely access a patient’s health records.
  • Ontario’s Broadband and Cellular Action Plan is making it easier for communities in areas of need to access internet and cellular services by expanding broadband infrastructure across Ontario.
  • Digital ID for Ontarians is providing a new way for Ontarians to digitally prove their identity, giving them more online options to access government services from anywhere.
  • Ontario’s COVID‑19 website has been used more than 50 million times, providing clear, easy-to-understand guidance about COVID‑19, including a self-assessment tool that has allowed more than four million people to get evaluated, so that they can take the appropriate action.
  • Digital Main Street is helping small businesses build and expand their online presence to reach new and existing customers and stay competitive in today’s digital world.

Other jurisdictions started this work years ago—but in Ontario, the responsibility of managing citizens’ digital assets and data has been ignored for too long. This has put our province at a competitive disadvantage. We must work swiftly and safely to meet and exceed global standards for digital initiatives, or risk falling behind.

I like to say that we are moving Ontario from the digital stone age to a global trailblazer, and Ontario’s first Digital and Data Strategy is a key component of that plan. As we look to our long-term economic recovery, the people of Ontario expect to be supported and connected, their data safe, secure and accessible, and equipped to succeed. Ontario’s first Digital and Data Strategy is how we will make that happen.

Executive summary

Our government has spent the last two years consulting with organizations, businesses, municipalities, experts and everyday people across Ontario to learn about your priorities for government services and how digital approaches can meet these needs. We heard directly from you that Ontario needs to move faster, establish benchmarks and chart progress in order to harness the enormous potential of the digital economy and better utilize data.

Ontario’s Digital and Data Strategy will play a critical role in that work by shaping how we will protect, support, connect and equip the province’s people and businesses to succeed in the digital world.

The strategy will help ensure that:

  • you have the skills and access to participate, work and succeed in a digital world
  • your privacy is protected, and you are safe when you interact or do business online
  • you have access to the data you need to make good decisions for your health, education, life and business
  • you enjoy integrated, citizen-centred services that are available whenever and wherever you need them

The Digital and Data Strategy is our way of making your online privacy and security the top priority, while delivering more convenient services and supporting economic growth to build a more prosperous future for everyone.

Leading Ontario into a new digital era

The COVID‑19 pandemic has made our province’s ability to harness technology more urgent than ever. With the people of Ontario increasingly using online services, for example to renew driver’s licences and health cards, strong digital security and robust data management must be crucial priorities—for individuals, communities, businesses, and government.

What’s more, data represents an enormous opportunity to improve people’s lives, solve challenges, generate new economic growth and provide a world-leading competitive advantage for our province.

In fact, data has become one of our most valuable resources because the province’s information and technology sector contributes over $41 billion to Ontario’s GDP. However, data also raises important questions about trust, privacy and security, and how gains from data are distributed.

Given the importance of this work, we asked the people of Ontario what they wanted from their government.

You told us

More information about data rights and risks should be available.

You want to know that your personal data is secure.

Data privacy and protection should be a competitive advantage for Ontario businesses.

Small businesses and rural communities need better access to high-speed internet, and more digital and data training, information and tools.

Government should manage and share data more effectively.

As data shapes the future of the economy, and online rights face new threats—like identity theft and cyberattacks—we must move swiftly to better protect against data breaches and ensure that the benefits of data and digitization, such as enhanced access to information and personalized services, can be enjoyed by all Ontarians. The Digital and Data Strategy positions Ontario to leverage provincial digital and data assets more effectively, while taking clear steps to protect people’s online privacy and rights.

Together with improved access to high-speed internet and broadband, open data, better government services and investments in digital skills, we will ensure that the economy we’re building supports everyone across this province.

By releasing this first-ever provincial Digital and Data Strategy, Ontario is laying the groundwork to become the world's leading digital jurisdiction - delivering more convenient, reliable and accessible government services, while ensuring that online privacy and the protections that matter most to Ontarians are built in, every step of the way. Mobilizing new digital and data opportunities will also ensure that Ontario doesn’t go back to the status quo, but keeps moving forward to build a more prosperous future for everyone.

The vision for a more digital Ontario

My vision is to make Ontario the global leader in digital government—now, and for future generations.

Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy, Toronto Star, October 2020

Examples

Digital first for health is providing new and improved digital health solutions to frontline care personnel, so that they can rapidly and securely access a patient’s health records.

Ontario’s Broadband and Cellular Action Plan is making it easier for communities in areas of need to access internet and cellular services by expanding broadband infrastructure across Ontario.

Digital ID for Ontarians is providing a new way for Ontarians to digitally prove their identity, giving them more online options to access government services from anywhere.

Ontario’s COVID‑19 website has been used more than 50 million times, providing clear, easy-to-understand guidance about COVID‑19, including a self-assessment tool that has allowed more than four million people to get evaluated, so that they can take the appropriate action.

Digital Main Street is helping small businesses build and expand their online presence to reach new and existing customers and stay competitive in today’s digital world.

Vision: Ontario is the world’s leading digital jurisdiction

Equipped to succeed

You have the right skills and access to participate, work and thrive in a digital world.

Safe and secure

Your privacy is protected, and you are safe when you interact or do business online.

Connected

You have access to the data you need to make good decisions for your health, education, life or business.

Supported

You are at the centre of more convenient, reliable and accessible government services that are available when and where you need them.

Equipping you to succeed:
digital participation and skills

You need the skills and access to participate, work, learn
and succeed in a digital world.

Our goal

People and organizations in Ontario will have the tools and training they need to fully participate in the digital economy.

We’ll measure progress by

  • The percentage of Ontarians with access to affordable, reliable and high-speed broadband internet.
  • The percentage of Ontario businesses and organizations with access to the digital and data savvy workers they need.
  • The increase in the number of Ontarians who have access to reskilling and retraining opportunities, so they can succeed in the digital economy.

Why digital participation matters

Ontario’s economy is changing rapidly. In the past 20 years, explosive growth in technology and innovation has made our province home to almost 50% of Canada’s workers in the high tech, finance, and knowledge-intensive sectors.footnote 1 But we aren’t stopping there. Our government is committed to building on this success and making Ontario the world’s leading digital jurisdiction.

To do this, we need to ensure that everyone in Ontario has access to the digital basics they need, like reliable and affordable internet, and training that gives them the skills to succeed in the new digital economy.

The possibilities are substantial. For example, you can take online courses to learn the new skills you’ll need for your job in the years ahead. Or you can dream big—and train online for a new career in Ontario’s tech sector, which needs thousands of new skilled workers every year. If you’re a business owner, you can sell your products or services to anyone, anywhere. With better access to the internet and the world of digital skills it unlocks, we can make our province a leader in the global marketplace, with more digitally-enabled jobs, and more Ontarians who have the digital and data skills to fill those positions.

In 2019, we launched Up to Speed: Ontario’s Broadband and Cellular Action Plan, and since its release the government has committed nearly $4 billion over six years to help ensure everyone in Ontario has access to reliable broadband by the end of 2025. We’ve also rolled out the Digital Main Street initiative to help small businesses sell their products and services online, reaching more customers in more places than ever before. And we’ve launched new opportunities for Ontarians to learn digital skills, including in STEM curricula and transferable skills in elementary school classrooms.

Looking ahead, we’re launching a new Digital and Data Innovation Fellows program and new sectoral data tables, bringing together the province’s leading tech experts to help us build digital capacity across government as we prepare for our recovery from COVID‑19. It’s all part of our commitment to help you get the digital tools and knowledge you need for success at work, at school, and in your community.

You told us

  • The Government of Ontario should work to close the digital divide. COVID‑19 has shown [us] the gaps in access to digital technologies and digital connectivity that exist.
  • [The] lack of broadband creates huge inequities. People can’t use data if they can’t get on the internet from home.
  • University students aren’t being taught the programs and data skills they need for the job [market].
  • There is a gap in the educational system about these key skills, [like] coding [and] data management.
  • [There is a] skills shift required to participate in the data-driven economy…[we] need to make sure we have diverse skill sets and experiences.

Read the full What we heard report about Ontario’s 2019 and 2020 public consultations on digital and data issues.

Our progress on digital participation

  • Ontario’s Broadband and Cellular Action Plan - Connecting more Ontarians than ever to accessible, reliable and high-speed internet and cell phone services, no matter where they live—while bringing new internet connectivity, for the first time, to communities across the province.
  • Digital Main Street - Helping small businesses build and expand their online presence to reach new and existing customers, and stay competitive in today’s digital world.
  • Ontario’s STEM Strategy - Empowering Ontario's elementary students with new opportunities to learn coding and other key skills that prepare them to lead in a competitive digital economy.
  • Micro-Credentials - Fast, flexible options for Ontarians to retrain, upgrade their skills, and get ready to land their next job.

What's next

Ontario’s Digital and Data Innovation Fellows Program

Launching in summer 2021, the province’s new Digital and Data Innovation Fellows will bring the best of Ontario’s tech sector into government, to help design Ontario's digital future. Fellows will be selected from leading technology institutions, and will work at provincial ministries and agencies to increase digital and data learning—so that Ontario’s government can continue delivering simpler, faster, better digital services to Ontarians.

Sectoral data tables

Ontario is launching new forums of industry experts by summer 2021, to provide targeted, sector-specific advice to the government on how to harness data more effectively to increase people’s participation in the digital economy, find new opportunities for growth, and support more Ontario businesses. With a mandate to focus on key data issues and data-driven sectors of the economy, these new forums will provide guidance and recommendations the government can immediately put into action.

Digital participation quick facts

In 2018, 92.2% of Ontarians were internet users.footnote 2 However, differences in income, age, race, language, education, immigration status, and geographic location in the province influence our ability to get online.footnote 3

A 2020 study found that 39% of Ontarians with low incomes don’t have an internet connection at home, whereas only 1% of high-income Ontarians lack in-home web access.footnote 4

The Canadian Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) estimates that in 2020, 218,000 information and communications technology (ICT) positions will need to be filled in Canada, but only 29,000 ICT graduates are expected to join the workforce.footnote 5

In an ICTC survey of employers, 53% of ICT organizations said attracting and retaining skilled employees was a top human resource challenge.footnote 6

Employment is projected to grow by 8% in high-tech occupations from 2016 to 2026, and 18% in digital occupations, totaling 189,000 new workers in tech jobs.footnote 7

You told us

  • The Government of Ontario should work to close the digital divide. COVID‑19 has shown [us] the gaps in access to digital technologies and digital connectivity that exist.
  • [The] lack of broadband creates huge inequities. People can’t use data if they can’t get on the internet from home.
  • University students aren’t being taught the programs and data skills they need for the job [market].
  • There is a gap in the educational system about these key skills, [like] coding [and] data management.
  • [There is a] skills shift required to participate in the data-driven economy…[we] need to make sure we have diverse skill sets and experiences.

Read the full What we heard report about Ontario’s 2019 and 2020 public consultations on digital and data issues.

Our progress on digital participation

  • Ontario’s Broadband and Cellular Action Plan - Connecting more Ontarians than ever to accessible, reliable and high-speed internet and cell phone services, no matter where they live—while bringing new internet connectivity, for the first time, to communities across the province.
  • Digital Main Street - Helping small businesses build and expand their online presence to reach new and existing customers, and stay competitive in today’s digital world.
  • Ontario’s STEM Strategy - Empowering Ontario's elementary students with new opportunities to learn coding and other key skills that prepare them to lead in a competitive digital economy.
  • Micro-Credentials - Fast, flexible options for Ontarians to retrain, upgrade their skills, and get ready to land their next job.

Keeping you safe and secure:
strong privacy, security, and trust

Your privacy should be protected and you should be safe when
you interact or do business online.

Our goal

Ontarians can understand their data rights and trust that those rights are being upheld.

Ontarians should feel confident that their online privacy is protected and that their data is being kept safe.

We’ll measure progress by

  • The number of Ontarians who feel they understand their data rights when they’re online.
  • The number of Ontarians who are confident their data is secure.
  • The increase in resources available for small Ontario businesses about online privacy and data protection requirements.

Why data rights and privacy matter

As more of our daily life moves online, our data—the information we generate and share about ourselves online—is more valuable than ever. And that makes our privacy—which is our ability to decide, by ourselves, what personal information we share, when we share it, and who we share it with—absolutely essential. Protecting Ontarians online, through new resources like an online portal to help you understand your data and privacy rights, is a key priority for our government.

In order to unlock the value of digital technology and deliver better services, we need to ensure that your data rights are being respected by any person or organization who collects, uses, or shares the information you provide them.

First and foremost, your data is yours. We need to ensure that your data is back in your control, and that your privacy is protected: Your personal information needs to always be safe and secure.

Every year, cyberattacks and data breaches cost Canadians collectively an estimated $3.12 billion,footnote 8 and since the start of the COVID‑19 pandemic, these attacks have increased.footnote 9 This means that protecting Ontarians’ data and privacy has never been more critical. When your data and your privacy are protected, you can shop online without worrying that your personal details will fall into the wrong hands. You need clear information from the government about how to keep your data safe, and what to do if your data is at risk. Your family can renew their driver’s licences on the web, knowing that the Ontario government is a world leader in storing data safely. And if you’re a business owner, you can feel confident that you’re protecting your customers’ data well, because you have access to step-by-step guides for putting data safeguards in place.

For Ontario to be a global leader in online data and privacy rights, we need to provide stronger protections for all Ontarians. We started this work by launching the Cyber Security Ontario portal—an online hub with learning resources to help public sector organizations protect themselves against cyberattacks. Now we’re taking further action to reduce the online threats Ontarians face—like having your identity stolen, or having your email hacked. We’ve integrated learning about online safety and privacy into our elementary and secondary school curriculum. And we’re committed to making Ontario a world leader in data and privacy rights, because you deserve to have the power over your data back in your own hands.

You told us

  • I have no idea where to go to understand data security.
  • Laws lag behind in years. Our legislative system is obsolete and not keeping up with technology.
  • Educating people at a young age is important. They should be able to know that when they give data to organizations, it is used in ways they may not know.
  • The average Ontarian does not have the skill or knowledge to research laws and legal decisions and case laws.

Read the full What we heard report about Ontario’s 2019 and 2020 public consultations on digital and data issues.

Our progress on data rights and privacy

  • Ontario’s Cybersecurity Online Learning Portal is an online library of resources to help organizations learn about cyber security issues and be better prepared to protect themselves.
  • Ontario’s Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence provides advice, resources and services to government and public organizations, to help them strengthen their digital resilience and improve Ontario’s cyber security practices.

What's next

Ontario’s new Know Your Data Rights portal

We’re starting work in 2021 on a new web portal called Know Your Data Rights, to help Ontarians learn how to better protect their personal data and stay safe online. For people, organizations, and businesses, the Know Your Data Rights portal will be a trusted source of information. It will help you learn how Ontario’s laws protect your personal data—including your health data—and can help you make more informed decisions about how, when, and where you share your personal information online, and who you share it with. The portal will also offer guidance to businesses about how to keep customer data safe, and how to meet key privacy and security requirements. For all Ontarians, the portal will help you learn how to take action if you feel your data rights are not being respected.

New Digital and Data Standards

Standards provide industries with clear, universal guidance on how to address complex issues like digital privacy and security. Credible standards also help consumers trust the products they use and protect the health and safety of citizens. In the digital economy, we want to ensure that Ontario’s businesses can leverage standards to help them grow. To accelerate these possibilities, we’re launching targeted consultations this summer with standards organizations and key sectors across the province to explore opportunities for promoting standards-driven growth, and for spurring innovation and investment. We’ll also ensure that Ontario’s digital and data standards align with the standards of other regions and countries, so that we can be leaders in the global marketplace.

Data rights and privacy quick facts

Cyber-attacks and data breaches cost Canadians an estimated $3.12 billion per year.footnote 10

92% of Canadians are concerned about their protection of privacy.footnote 11

84% of Canadians say that news reports about privacy breaches impact their willingness to share personal information.footnote 12

Only 8% of respondents to a 2019 Ontario government survey think businesses generally do a good job of explaining what they plan to do with consumers’ data.footnote 13

Only 49% of respondents to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 Business Confidence Survey said their organizations had trained employees on data security and/or privacy.footnote 14

You told us

  • I have no idea where to go to understand data security.
  • Laws lag behind in years. Our legislative system is obsolete and not keeping up with technology.
  • Educating people at a young age is important. They should be able to know that when they give data to organizations, it is used in ways they may not know.
  • The average Ontarian does not have the skill or knowledge to research laws and legal decisions and case laws.

Read the full What we heard report about Ontario’s 2019 and 2020 public consultations on digital and data issues.

Our progress on data rights and privacy

  • Ontario’s Cybersecurity Online Learning Portal is an online library of resources to help organizations learn about cyber security issues and be better prepared to protect themselves.
  • Ontario’s Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence provides advice, resources and services to government and public organizations, to help them strengthen their digital resilience and improve Ontario’s cyber security practices.

Keeping you connected:
better access to high-quality data

You deserve access to the data you need to make better
decisions about your life, work, community or business.

Our goal

All sectors of Ontario’s economy will be able to use data to make better business decisions, and all Ontarians will have timely access to the data they need.

We’ll measure progress by

  • The percentage of individuals, businesses and organizations that report having access to the government data they need.
  • The increase in the information you have about how your data is being used by government and businesses.
  • The increase in the amount of government data that is shared publicly and updated regularly.

Why data matters

Data has become one of the world’s most valuable assets. In 2018 alone, it added over $150 billion in value to Canada’s economy.footnote 15 Data powers Ontario’s government, its businesses, and its communities. For government to serve Ontarians effectively, we need to be able to collect reliable, real-time data. And for businesses, organizations, and individual Ontarians to make good decisions, they need good data from government sources, like statistics websites or research reports. That’s why access to high-quality data matters more than ever.

But too often, data isn’t available at the right time, or in a format that’s easy to understand. Our government is taking action to change that, by putting more—and better—data at your fingertips.

Getting the data you need, when you need it, can turn a great business idea into a reality. Imagine if you could see real-time government data about the labour market in your region. You’d know right away that there’s a shortage of electricians, and that a new electrical service business has a good chance of succeeding. Better access to high-quality data can help businesses and communities make better decisions, while creating new opportunities for Ontario to grow and thrive.

For Ontario to be the world’s leading digital jurisdiction, we need to make more high-quality data available, more often, to more people. We started this work by launching Ontario’s Data Catalogue, which gives people access to more than 800 data sets about education, agriculture, infrastructure and more. In the past year alone, the Catalogue has had over 4.2 million page views, and its data sets have been downloaded close to 400,000 times. Now it’s time to take the next step, and give Ontarians a direct voice in what data gets shared, how it gets shared, and who it gets shared with. We’re committed to putting data in the hands of Ontarians and you have a right to know how your data is being used.

You told us

  • Small businesses need government to find a better way to help us strategically use data.
  • Government data just isn’t current. I can’t use data that’s six years old to make future decisions. It doesn’t make any sense.
  • Just knowing what data is available is really difficult. We can’t even scratch the surface right now.
  • As Ontarians, we need to understand the economic and social benefits created by the data we’re sharing. We need to understand what difference this is making in people’s lives.

Read the full What we heard report about Ontario’s 2019 and 2020 public consultations on digital and data issues.

Our progress on data

  • Ontario’s Health Data Platform provides important health data to medical researchers that is helping them detect, plan and respond to the COVID‑19 outbreak.
  • Through Ontario’s Data Catalogue, over 800 open data sets are available to anyone in the public who wants to use the data to make informed decisions and generate new insights.
  • The province shares real-time data about Ontario’s COVID‑19 response with Ontarians, so that you can always see the latest updates.

What's next

Canada’s first provincial data authority

Because data is one of the most valuable assets of the 21st century, managing it responsibly is essential. Starting in summer 2021, we’re inviting the public, organizations, and businesses to help us shape the design of a new provincial data authority—the first of its kind in Canada—that will be responsible for building modern data infrastructure to support economic and social growth at scale, while ensuring that data is private, secure, anonymous and cannot identify people individually.

Supported by a new Special Advisor, these public consultations will focus on helping the government develop new data stewardship models, governance, and standards—and identify early use cases to become digital “shovels in the ground” projects. For example, the authority could harness the data from the province's infrastructure investments in new ways, creating a new resource that municipalities, entrepreneurs, and local businesses could leverage to innovate in sectors like transportation, clean tech, and local planning.

The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario will be consulted throughout the development of the data authority to ensure a privacy protective approach.

Ontario’s first trustworthy AI framework

Ontario has one of the most competitive business environments in the world, and our province is home to many “firsts”—including being the birthplace of modern artificial intelligence, or “AI”, which was pioneered at the University of Toronto more than 30 years ago. As AI-powered technologies continue to develop, they offer new ways to deliver faster and better programs, products, and services to Ontarians. But as we rely more on machines to make key decisions, new risks are emerging, including discrimination, surveillance, and threats to personal privacy. To build a digital economy powered by ethical AI rooted in democratic principles and individual rights, we’re developing the province’s first Artificial Intelligence Framework to guide the responsible and equitable use of AI, with “beta” guidelines and principles to be released in spring 2021.

Data quick facts

In 2018, the estimated value of data to Canada’s economy was $157 - $217 billion.footnote 16

An estimated 3,683 new AI jobs were created in Ontario, adding to the existing 16,205 jobs in this growing field.footnote 17

However, 60% of global businesses surveyed in a 2019 poll reported that “half or more” of the data they collect isn’t being used by their organization—and more than 20% said their organizations lacked the resources, processes or skills to make it usable.footnote 19

You told us

  • Small businesses need government to find a better way to help us strategically use data.
  • Government data just isn’t current. I can’t use data that’s six years old to make future decisions. It doesn’t make any sense.
  • Just knowing what data is available is really difficult. We can’t even scratch the surface right now.
  • As Ontarians, we need to understand the economic and social benefits created by the data we’re sharing. We need to understand what difference this is making in people’s lives.

Read the full What we heard report about Ontario’s 2019 and 2020 public consultations on digital and data issues.

Our progress on data

  • Ontario’s Health Data Platform provides important health data to medical researchers that is helping them detect, plan and respond to the COVID‑19 outbreak.
  • Through Ontario’s Data Catalogue, over 800 open data sets are available to anyone in the public who wants to use the data to make informed decisions and generate new insights.
  • The province shares real-time data about Ontario’s COVID‑19 response with Ontarians, so that you can always see the latest updates.

Supporting your needs:
user-centred services

Your government needs to work better for you, with more convenient,
reliable and accessible services, when and where you need them.

Our goal

Digital services in Ontario will be more accessible, integrated and equitably designed for a seamless user experience.

We’ll measure progress by

  • The percentage of the government’s highest-volume services (like driver’s licence renewals) that are available online.
  • The percentage of government’s highest-volume transactions completed online.
  • The increase in Ontarians’ overall satisfaction with government digital services.
  • The number of government teams designing public services directly with Ontarians.

Why user-centred services matter

Today, it’s easier than ever to connect with others around us and use the web to check the traffic, book appointments, pay bills, or find information. Successful organizations know this, and they’re constantly improving what they offer online, based on the feedback their customers are providing them. From big banks to small businesses, they’re designing products and services with their users, not for their users, to meet people’s real needs and to make life easier.

Ontario needs to work this way, too.

To deliver the speed and convenience that you’ve come to expect in a digital world, we need to put people at the centre of everything we do. We also need to deliver a better overall experience for government services, which includes both online and in-person options, and user-friendly products and services that you will actually use. That means learning from you, building things that respond to what you’ve asked for, and constantly improving based on your feedback.

We’ve started on this journey by passing the Simpler, Faster, Better Services Act—a new law that does exactly what its name says: It commits us to placing people at the centre of every government program, service, process and policy. We’ve made it easier for you to book appointments online, and we’ve rolled out more options for virtual health care, like a new pilot project in the Niagara Region that lets patients book appointments using a digital ID.

You deserve a government that’s forward looking and anticipates and adopts technological innovation. That’s why we’re creating new opportunities that make life easier for you: we’re introducing Ontario’s first digital ID, a new, electronic government-issued form of identification that lets people and businesses prove who they are online, making it easier to access more web-based services—like renewing a driver’s license or getting a permit for their business. We’re also launching new options for getting text messages and email reminders for permit renewals and services, so you don’t need to rely on paper notices. And Ontarians can now engage with the court system online, filing documents electronically and participating through virtual hearings. It’s all part of our commitment to put the people of Ontario at the centre of everything we do.

You told us

  • [The] goal shouldn’t be ‘improve services’, it should be ‘make my life easier.’ If I need to renew my license, notify me where the closest office is & when the lines are short.
  • Please use...data to improve and simplify services so that there are less forms...so you can predict and prompt me to do things before I even think about them, and from the comfort of my home/smart phone.
  • Information needs to be at a level that anyone can understand. [It] shouldn’t be hard to understand what government is saying. Government communications need to be more accessible: More visuals, infographics, videos...

Read the full What we heard report about Ontario’s 2019 and 2020 public consultations on digital and data issues.

Our progress on user-centred services

  • In 2019, we passed The Simpler, Faster, Better Services Act, which commits the government to developing services for Ontarians that are easier to use, designed together with people, and have strong privacy and security protections.
  • We’ve expanded access to online appointment booking and provided more virtual health care options to make health care simpler, easier and more convenient for Ontarians. 
  • We’re making it easier for people to interact with government by offering more services digitally, such as an online chat window, and improving call centres across the Ontario Public Service.
  • We launched a new, online COVID‑19 self-assessment tool that helps Ontarians stay safe by offering a quick, easy way to check if you have COVID‑19 symptoms.
  • We initiated work on—and were the first province in Canada to launch—the made-in-Ontario COVID Alert app, which notifies you, and lets you tell others, if you’ve been exposed to covid 19—without sharing any personal information. Over 6 million people have downloaded the app since it launched in July 2020.
  • In June 2020, we launched a new Curriculum and Resources website. This digital portal helps educators, parents and students access curriculum and learning resources in a user- and mobile-friendly way, and we’ll be adding new interactive features to it over time.
  • We’ve made it easier, faster, and more affordable for people to access the justice system through increase online access. This includes an online pre-screening and check-in tool for potential jurors so people can spend less time in the courthouse.

What's next

A digital ID for Ontarians in 2021

To use a government or business service, you often need to show a photo ID, in person, to prove who you are. But COVID‑19 has made it clear that Ontarians need more online options that let them access services from anywhere, at any time. In 2021, we will introduce a new, optional government-issued digital ID that lets people and businesses prove who they are online, so they can get the services they need from the comfort of their home, or on their mobile device.

Digital reminders and alerts

The province’s first digital notification service will make it quicker and easier to get updates about permit renewals and government services. Instead of waiting for paper notices in the mail, you’ll have the option to receive reminders via text message, emails or automated voice call. We’ll be rolling this out across all government services, starting this summer with some of the services that Ontarians use most, like driver’s license renewals.

“I Agree”: making Terms of Use for Online services easy to understand

Every day, we click the “I Agree” button when we sign up for online services, but we often have no idea what we’re consenting to—and no option to use the service if we don’t click that button. To solve this problem and lead by example, we’re committing to launching clear, plain-language “Terms of Use” for key government services, starting this year—so you can understand exactly what you’re signing up for, and how your data may be collected, stored, and used.

User-centred services quick facts

In 2018, 92% of Ontarians used the internet on a regular basis.footnote 20

In 2020, more than 40 Ontario government services were available online 24/7, such as renewing a driver’s license, health card, birth certificate and driver or vehicle record.footnote 21

75% Canadians say government services should be accessible online instead of in-person.footnote 22

72% of Canadians said they accessed a government service or program online in 2019.footnote 23

You told us

  • [The] goal shouldn’t be ‘improve services’, it should be ‘make my life easier.’ If I need to renew my license, notify me where the closest office is & when the lines are short.
  • Please use...data to improve and simplify services so that there are less forms...so you can predict and prompt me to do things before I even think about them, and from the comfort of my home/smart phone.
  • Information needs to be at a level that anyone can understand. [It] shouldn’t be hard to understand what government is saying. Government communications need to be more accessible: More visuals, infographics, videos...

Read the full What we heard report about Ontario’s 2019 and 2020 public consultations on digital and data issues.

Our progress on user-centred services

  • In 2019, we passed The Simpler, Faster, Better Services Act, which commits the government to developing services for Ontarians that are easier to use, designed together with people, and have strong privacy and security protections.
  • We’ve expanded access to online appointment booking and provided more virtual health care options to make health care simpler, easier and more convenient for Ontarians. 
  • We’re making it easier for people to interact with government by offering more services digitally, such as an online chat window, and improving call centres across the Ontario Public Service.
  • We launched a new, online COVID‑19 self-assessment tool that helps Ontarians stay safe by offering a quick, easy way to check if you have COVID‑19 symptoms.
  • We initiated work on—and were the first province in Canada to launch—the made-in-Ontario COVID Alert app, which notifies you, and lets you tell others, if you’ve been exposed to covid 19—without sharing any personal information. Over 6 million people have downloaded the app since it launched in July 2020.
  • In June 2020, we launched a new Curriculum and Resources website. This digital portal helps educators, parents and students access curriculum and learning resources in a user- and mobile-friendly way, and we’ll be adding new interactive features to it over time.
  • We’ve made it easier, faster, and more affordable for people to access the justice system through increase online access. This includes an online pre-screening and check-in tool for potential jurors so people can spend less time in the courthouse.

What’s next

Building on the foundation of the Ontario Onwards Action Plan, Ontario’s first Digital and Data Strategy creates a comprehensive framework that will help us become the world’s leading digital jurisdiction.

Ontario’s Digital and Data Strategy responds directly to the feedback on digital and data priorities we’ve received over a two-year period from more than 1,300 individuals and organizations representing over 40,000 businesses, 400 municipalities, and 10,000 professionals.

The strategy will help ensure that:

  • you have the skills and access to participate, work and succeed in a digital world;
  • your privacy is protected, and you are safe when you interact or do business online;
  • you have access to the data you need to make good decisions for your health, education, life and business; and
  • you enjoy integrated, citizen-centred services that are available whenever and wherever you need them.

This strategy has already started shaping the public sector’s digital and data driven approach, helping ensure that government services are more digitally accessible. Moving forward, it will provide a framework to guide all future public and private sector digital and data initiatives in Ontario.

Every step forward will create more convenient, reliable and accessible services for the people and businesses of Ontario, moving Ontario Onwards.

Join the conversation #OntarioDigital #OntarioOnwards.

Follow our progress on  Twitter - @ONdigital and have your say or contact us with your feedback.