Huntsville Council agrees to implement Provincial Marriage Licence Modernization Agreement
Huntsville Council agreed to implement the Provincial Marriage Licence Modernization Agreement, in the November 25, 2024, meeting.
According to the staff report, the Town currently issues approximately 125 marriage licences each year, at a cost of $170 each (based on 2024 rates).
It adds, “The original 2019 cost of the eSolutions (GHD) software was $4,500 +HST.”
However, the software is at the end of its life and will be upgraded as a part of the provincial website redevelopment project using GovStack.
Staff advised that the new provincial program is “free to the Town of Huntsville.” Although staff will require time to decommission the old system and implement the new one.
According to the report, the initial process involved applicants submitting their information on a Town website form, which is reviewed by staff who then schedule an in-person appointment. The application and supporting documents are verified by staff during the appointment. Multiple trips to the Town office may be required by the applicant if there are issues with the documents submitted.
The report continues that although the Town has already upgraded to a digital format for the most part, the new model provides staff the ability to review digital documents and request corrections prior to appointments, reduces the length of visit times by 50%, reduces errors on the licence, allows for faster issuance, and provides an improved user experience processing online.
An added benefit is “risk free for the municipality, and volunteer-based participation without fees and the ability to back out any time,” according to the report.
It adds, “The system was designed and tested collaboratively with municipalities and citizens and improvements were implemented throughout 2023 with quarterly releases thereafter. Upon request, the Town of Huntsville is being included in the Spring 2025 release.”
