These days, consumers can easily manage their finances and pay their bills online if they choose to. However, new research shows that Canadians still prefer to hold the paper bills in their hands rather than receive statements electronically.

The Vancouver Sun recently reported on some interesting findings discovered by a student writing her thesis on a paperless society. Joan McNeish, a PhD student at Carleton University's Sprott School of Business, conducted a survey and discovered that more than 90 percent of respondents still either receive paper statements, or print off their online statements.

According to epost, a Canada Post service that allows users to view and pay bills online, more than 12 million adult Canadians use online banking services. In fact, the highest level of online banking in the world is done in Canada, according to a2008 comScore survey. Despite this, McNeish's thesis, Paperless Society - Not Yet, reveals that electronic statements have not increased in popularity since they became an option more than a decade ago.

Consumers want paper documents so they can keep records and they can decide how long they should retain statements…because to most Canadians, paper statements are the only proof of relationship between a consumer and a company, says the Sun. Companies have reportedly tried to entice Canadians to transition to online statements with both incentives as well as charging for paper bills, but both methods were unsuccessful.

McNeish told the Sun: "Consumers judge companies less favourably if they disrupt the paper bills. If this piece of mail is part of a relationship with your customer, you have to decide what you want to do with it. Consumers have not yet seen a better system than the paper bill."