Under the Ontario government’s new system, Ontarians are only able to renew their health cards online if they hold an Ontario driver’s license - disadvantaging thousands of people who don't drive, including many Ontarians living with disabilities.
I raised these concerns in a letter to the Minister of Health.
Hon. Christine Elliott
Minister of Health & Deputy Premier Ministry of Health
5th Floor, 777 Bay St.
Toronto ON
M7A 2J3
November 30, 2021
Dear Minister Elliott,
I am writing today to add my support to the call made by the MPP for Toronto St. Paul’s and others to reduce barriers to the renewal of provincial health cards for those who do not have drivers’ licences.
Under the government’s new system, Ontarians are only able to renew their health cards online if they hold an Ontario driver’s license. If a resident does not have a driver’s license, they must go into a Service Ontario location to manually renew their card. This practice puts those who do not have a driver’s license at a real disadvantage and creates unnecessary risk amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Davenport constituents who have brought this issue to my attention are seniors in their mid-late 70s. As life-long transit users, they do not have a driver’s license. And, despite the fact that they do have Ontario Photo Cards as proof of identity, they still have to make arrangements to travel to a Service Ontario location in person to renew their health cards. They feel as though non-drivers in the city are being punished for not holding a driver’s license.
On behalf of these constituents and others in the same situation, I ask that the Ontario government work to provide alternative methods to confirm one’s proof of residency to make the online renewal process more accessible for all Ontarians.
Sincerely,
Marit Stiles
MPP Davenport