The federal government is beginning to phase out decades-old fax technology, with the Canada Revenue Agency confirming it will stop accepting faxed filings from charities at the end of the month.The agency said that as of April 1, registered charities will no longer be able to submit documents to its Charities Directorate by fax, forcing organizations to transition to online services for annual filings and correspondence.Blacklock's Reporter said the move marks a notable shift away from a technology that has remained entrenched across multiple federal departments, even as critics argue Ottawa has lagged in modernizing its systems.Charities will now be required to file documents such as the T3010 annual return through digital platforms, though the agency did not disclose how many of Canada’s roughly 86,000 registered charities still relied on fax submissions.Despite the change, fax machines remain in use across several federal institutions, including Elections Canada, the Federal Court of Canada and the Treasury Board of Canada, highlighting the slow pace of modernization within government.Conservative MP Dave Epp has previously criticized the continued reliance on fax technology, telling a Commons committee that federal agencies have struggled to keep up with modern systems..Officials have acknowledged the issue. Chair of the Immigration and Refugee Board Manon Brassard told MPs earlier this month that her office still receives documents by fax, paper and email, though efforts are underway to implement more streamlined digital systems.Health care has also been flagged as a sector still heavily dependent on fax communication. Sen. Joan Kingston recently called the continued use of fax machines to transmit health information “unacceptable,” citing concerns about efficiency and security.The shift away from faxing has also been encouraged by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, which warned in 2023 that fax machines pose a higher risk of privacy breaches compared to secure digital alternatives.First introduced in the 1960s by Xerox Corporation, fax machines were once a staple of business and government communication but have steadily declined in use as digital systems became widespread.
