Province to close unspecified number of ServiceOntario sites: Report

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The Doug Ford government is reportedly shuttering an unspecified number of ServiceOntario locations.

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CityNews reported Wednesday that the Ontario outlets where people can renew driver’s licences and health cards will be replaced by kiosks inside select Staples Canada stores.

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A Dec. 7 news release announced the ServiceOntario-Staples Canada partnership, a pilot project that would see ServiceOntario kiosks open in Staples stores to “reduce the overall cost to deliver government services to the public.”

That news release didn’t mention any pending ServiceOntario closures, however.

It was not clear how many ServiceOntario locations would be affected; however, CityNews, citing sources, reported that some locations have been family businesses for decades and that owners were given just 70 days’ notice about the closures.

Affected employees would be given opportunities to work at the new Staples Canada kiosks, according to a government spokesperson, the report said.

ServiceOntario completes 59 million transactions annually and more than 24 million transactions are completed in person at 275 ServiceOntario centres throughout the province.

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