Some ServiceOntario Locations To Be Shut By Ford Government: Report

The Ford administration is set to shutter an undisclosed number of ServiceOntario outlets, as per a report by CityNews.

These centers, facilitating tasks such as driver’s license and health card renewals, will be supplanted by kiosks located within select Staples Canada stores. This change is part of a pilot initiative initially revealed last month.

While the government acknowledged in a news release on December 7 that ServiceOntario kiosks would emerge in specific Staples Canada establishments to “reduce the overall cost to deliver government services to the public,” it omitted any mention of impending center closures.

“Starting in early 2024, Service Ontario is launching new centers in designated Staples Canada stores, with additional locations anticipated to open throughout the year,” stated officials.

Regarding the potential correlation between closed Service Ontario locations and new kiosk openings, the government remained tight-lipped about specifics. Insiders informed CityNews that some of the soon-to-be-shut sites have been family-owned enterprises for decades, with owners receiving a mere 70 days’ notice about the impending closures.

A government spokesperson assured that affected employees would be given priority for positions in the new Staples Canada kiosks.

While CityNews reached out to Staples Canada for a statement, no response has been received at the time of reporting.

Parvasi Media Group