Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy wants to finally phase out fax machines

The Ontario government wants to phase out fax machines used in the public service.

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy told CBC News that it’s “time to move this province forward,” and that he’s directing the province’s public service to phase out its 1,500 fax lines by the end of the year.

For many, fax machines are no longer a common sight. However, back in the 1980s, fax machines became a staple in offices throughout Canada. Fax machines can scan a paper document and transmit the data over a telephone line to another fax machine, which prints a copy of the data on a new page.

However, ditching fax may be easier said than done. CBC News reports that several sectors still rely on fax, including health care. The pandemic shone a light on health care’s continued reliance on the old technology when a fax backlog in New Brunswick in November left COVID-19 assessment centres unable to schedule patients for tests.

New Brunswick isn’t the only province that still uses fax machines — family physicians, pharmacies and hospitals throughout Canada still rely on the tech.

While some may wonder what will replace fax machines, the answer is pretty simple: electronic documents. CBC News points to real estate as an example, where fax was largely replaced with password-protected electronic documents and virtual signatures. Sure, there might need to be some re-training, but it’s likely worth it to never have to send a fax again.

Bethlenfalvy declined to estimate the costs of running 1,500 fax machines, and when CBC News asked about a plan to phase in alternative technology, he said there are “many tools to ship information back and forth.”

It’s also worth noting that the Ontario government’s website still lists fax as a way to contact the government, promising to answer within 15 business days.

Source: CBC News