Service Ontario locations to close as province moves into Staples stores

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Some Service Ontario locations are set to close as their offices move into kiosks in Staples locations.

The Doug Ford government announced the move last month in a press release. Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery Todd McCarthy said at the time, “We are working to make it easier to live and work in Ontario, with in-person access as a fundamental component of excellent service delivery.” However, the release made no mention of the impact on existing Service Ontario locations.

“ServiceOntario is moving forward with ways to improve customers’ experience, streamlining operations, and ensuring a sustainable and cost-effective way to meet the needs of Ontario communities. A number of factors were considered when our government conducted lengthy consultations with retail partners on the pilot, including the size of stores, parking availability, number of locations across Ontario, and willingness to participate,” said McArthy’s Press Secretary Doug Allingham.

Allingham added that using Staples will increase Service Ontario hours by 30 per cent. Additionally, “Employees of impacted private services providers are also being provided opportunities to continue employment with Staples Canada,” he said.

Opposition NDP Finance critic Catherine Fife, MPP Waterloo was quick to condemn the move saying, “This raises serious concerns about Ontarians’ access to government services. This will simply hurt those already left waiting at ServiceOntario to access services such as renewing their health cards, and more.”

Green Leader Mike Schreiner also criticized the decision. “Why is this government so dead-set on selling off the public services Ontarians rely on every single day? Ontarians have had enough of the PC’s privatization agenda. They deserve a government that puts them first.” Allingham pointed out many of the locations are already privately run.

This isn’t the first time the Ontario government has tried to reduce Service Ontario to kiosks. The Liberal government tried a similar track in 2012 by installing computer terminals but they had to be recalled five months later as hackers targeted them to steal personal information.

The government has not indicated which locations will shut down or how many.

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