Ford Government to Integrate Nine ServiceOntario Locations into Staples Canada Stores

The Ontario government has revealed plans to relocate six ServiceOntario locations to Staples Canada retail stores, with the transition beginning on Thursday. Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery Todd McCarthy announced that three additional ServiceOntario centers will be housed within Staples later this year, bringing the total to nine locations.

The identified ServiceOntario centers within Staples in Ontario include

• Oakville at 2460 Winston Churchill Blvd.

• Newmarket at 17810 Yonge St.

• Toronto (Scarborough) at 180 Eglinton Ave. E.

• Strathroy at 425 Caradoc St. S.

• Tillsonburg in Tillsonburg Town Centre at 200 Broadway St.

• Welland in Seaway Mall at 800 Niagara St.

Minister McCarthy emphasized the compatibility of the Staples Canada retail partnership model with ServiceOntario’s objectives. He highlighted the longstanding collaboration with various retailers, including Canadian Tire, IDA, and Home Hardware, over the past fifteen years.

By integrating ServiceOntario within Staples, several benefits are expected, such as enhanced accessibility due to increased parking availability, transit proximity, and extended operating hours. Some locations will be open until 9 p.m. on weekdays and throughout Saturdays until 5 p.m.

The government estimates that adopting the Staples Canada model will result in approximately $1 million in operating cost savings over the three-year pilot period. However, McCarthy did not disclose the total expenses associated with retrofitting the new ServiceOntario locations, stating that it was part of the government’s capital investment.

When questioned about the costs, McCarthy clarified, “Ministry officials looked at the expiring contracts. They could see that over the next three years, there was going to be over $11 million in operating costs. Those operating costs with these pilot projects are now being reduced to about $10 million.”

He added, “And that’s including the capital costs for the retrofit investment that’s always borne by the government. So that savings is $1 million over three years, and that’s because of the leasing cost savings in this particular pilot project.” McCarthy positioned the move as an investment to enhance customer service for Ontarians, emphasizing its tailored approach for ServiceOntario locations.

Parvasi Weekly Inc.