In Ontario Canada, we digitized the system and then sold it off to cover a deficit.

You can still pay the legislated $6 or whatever for each individual search, but they can slice and dice it and charge whatever they like for useful access to data only they have.

Now someone else can make a 10% return on equity at the public’s expense instead of just issuing a bond at 3%.

We like to sell off monopolies and maintain them here...