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70% of Canadians Demand Fully Digital Public Services & 87% Expect This By 2026
Our survey exposes a resounding call for faster and simpler digital public services from Canadians, as new research shows that 70% of Canadian respondents want the government to deliver a fully digital suite of public services, and of those, 87% expect this shift to happen within the next two years. Survey also reveals that respondents each spent an average of 28 hours engaging government services in the last year, equivalent to an astonishing 99,000 years of lost time for citizens.
More Canadians today expect the usability of government services to be on par with Uber, Netflix, or Amazon – and they are willing to share more data for a personalized service
Better government services in exchange for personal data
As more consumers today expect the usability of their services to be on par with the offerings of major private sector companies like Uber, Netflix, or Amazon – the same can be said for government services as well: 45% of respondents want the same time-saving features and 40% want to see greater simplicity.
Forty-four percent of overall respondents are also more willing to share their private data with a government agency in exchange for personalized digital services, though this varies across generations, with Gen Z (53%) and Millennials (54%) the most willing vs. 34% of Baby Boomers and 38% of the Silent Generation. That willingness is dependent on understanding several key points, however: visibility into exactly what would improve by granting access to their data (53%), how and by what entitles the information would be used (52%), and only if they could control access altogether (49%). Out of the 36% of Canadian respondents that refuse to share more private data with a government agency in exchange for personalized digital service, privacy concerns (50%) and lack of trust in how the data is used (44%) and shared (42%) were cited as key reasons for concern
– Darren Hedges, VP of Nortal Canada
Canadians expect and deserve digital-first solutions that are not only efficient but also comprehensive, seamless, and tailored to their individual needs
“The recent findings underscore a critical juncture for Canadian public services,” said Darren Hedges, VP of Nortal Canada. “Canadians expect and deserve digital-first solutions that are not only efficient but also comprehensive, seamless, and tailored to their individual needs. To get there will require a robust overhaul of digital infrastructures and a strategic rethinking of service delivery to eliminate redundancies, reduce wait times, and successfully enhance user experiences.”
Trust is a key barrier to the adoption of digital public services
Nearly half (48%) of respondents cite security and privacy concerns as their biggest fear in the shift to digital. Additionally, 29% say they lack the confidence in the government’s capacity to actually deliver digital public services in the near future, and another 43% believe the state cannot achieve the same level of digitalization as private sector companies altogether.
“To regain public trust and deliver the digital services Canadians expect, the government must prioritize data security and privacy while demonstrating the tangible benefits of digital transformation for citizens,” commented Hedges. “By investing in robust cybersecurity measures, being transparent about data usage, and creating intuitive user experiences that rival the best private sector offerings, the government can build a more responsive, efficient, and equitable model that meets the evolving needs of Canadians in the digital age.”
– Darren Hedges, VP of Nortal Canada
Innovating doesn't mean solutions need to be high-tech and complex for the user. As the government lays the groundwork for more personalized and proactive services, it must prioritize accessibility, inclusivity, and user-friendliness
Hedges added, “Innovating doesn’t mean solutions need to be high-tech and complex for the user. As the government lays the groundwork for more personalized and proactive services, it must prioritize accessibility, inclusivity, and user-friendliness to ensure that no Canadian is left behind in the digital transformation of public services, and Nortal is actively working with government agencies to realize this path.”
Information about the survey:
The research was conducted by Censuswide with 2,001 nationally representative consumers across Canada (16+), between 15.03.2024 – 19.03.2024.
The figure – 99,000 years – was calculated using the UN, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision, which found the number of people aged 16+ in Canada was 31,081,731
Explore personal government: Digital's next step
Over two decades government systems have moved from analog to digital. We now stand on the brink of the post-digital era, where public services will be citizen-centric, personalized, equitable, and fully sustainable.
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