Just applied to renew my residency for another year and it is $247 for the application plus $8.38 for the census extract.
My choices were cash or check.

if you are a permanent resident .. it only costs the price of the census paper...which is required for everyone renewing their cedula... been there done that recently ..i would assume this charge is for those of you who have the right to the free medical care here but have not contributed over the years via wage tax to the program .. social security isn't free either!