Committee reports and analysis from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia have all recommended against provincial Internet voting.
Such a process may not be used for an official vote without the prior approval of the committees of the Senate and of the House of Commons that normally consider electoral matters or, in the case of an alternative electronic voting process, without the prior approval of the Senate and the House of Commons.
"The general philosophy is to take the ballot box to the voter," says Mayrand, Canada's chief electoral officer.
'[2] Elections Canada released a report requesting approval to conduct an "electronic voting test-run in a byelection by 2013".
[8] In parallel with the committee, starting 26 August 2016, the then Minister of Democratic Institutions Maryam Monsef conducted a cross-country consultation tour on the same topics.
is included in an advanced notice of proposed procurement for Electronic Polls Books issued 2 March 2017.
"[12][13] Released 1 February 2017, the Mandate Letter for incoming Minister of Democratic Institutions Karina Gould signaled concern about cyber threats to the Canadian electoral process:[14] In collaboration with the Minister of National Defence and the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, lead the Government of Canada’s efforts to defend the Canadian electoral process from cyber threats.
This should include asking the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) to analyze risks to Canada’s political and electoral activities from hackers, and to release this assessment publicly.
[15] The report states that multiple types of adversaries are targeting Canada, including nation-states and cybercriminals.
It finds that federal elections are well-protected due to being conducted on paper with good control measures.
Implementing such a change would require significant planning and testing in order to ensure that the agency preserves certain aspects of the vote, including confidentiality, secrecy, reliability, and integrity.
"[18][19] The October 2014 Report of the Chief Electoral Officer indicated "Elections BC endorses the recommendations of the Independent Panel on Internet Voting".
[20] It was reported in the Globe and Mail on 13 May 2004, that "New Brunswick's chief electoral officer is reviewing the possibility of using electronic voting machines on a wide basis.
In a 2013 report, the Election Commission of Nova Scotia concluded that "it is premature to entertain either Internet-based or telephone voting options at this time.
[34] In Election Readiness Update 3, released 29 April 2021, Chief Electoral Officer Richard Temporale stated, "While we are preparing to have an internet voting solution on the shelf for Canadian military stationed outside of the province, it has not been my intent, nor the election commission’s advice, that it’s [sic] use be extended to other groups of voters.
[38][39] In Prince Edward Island's 2016 plebiscite on electoral reform residents were able to cast their vote in-person, online, or by touch-tone telephone.
Ontario and Nova Scotia permit municipal Internet voting, upon approval by individual city councils.
[47] Digby, Nova Scotia (population approximately 2,000) offered only Internet and telephone as voting options; no paper ballots.
[48] Digby, Nova Scotia (population approximately 2,000) offered only Internet and telephone as voting options; no paper ballots.
[60] Leamington, Ontario (population approximately 28,000) provided Internet voting as the only option in the 2014 municipal election; no paper ballots.
[61] Coburg, Ontario (population approximately 18,000) provided only Internet and telephone voting in 2014; no paper ballots.
[63][66][67][68][69] Coburg, Ontario (population approximately 18,000) provided only Internet and telephone voting in 2010; no paper ballots.
[75] Jonathon Hollins, Canadian director of Election Systems & Software reports that "Voting on standalone touch-screen machines (Direct Recording Electronics), ... which also caters to the visually-impaired through an audio ballot, has been used in municipal elections held in Toronto, Edmonton, and the Ontario cities of Vaughan, Brantford, Oakville and Mississauga.
Numerous problems were reported with the voting machines used, and Pierre Bourque of Vision Montreal called for some re-votes.
Approximately one year later, the Quebec Chief Electoral Officer released a report highly critical of the systems and processes used.