'It comes down to customer service,' Doug Ford says of ServiceOntario moving to Staples stores
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said that moving ServiceOntario locations into select Staples Canada stores is all about convenience.
The premier made the comments while talking to reporters at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association on Monday.
“It’s convenience,” he said. “Not everyone can make it into one of the outlets from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.”
“It’s pretty simple. It comes down to customer service.”
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The new ServiceOntario centres will be opening up in select Staples Canada stores throughout the year as part of a pilot program. The ministry has confirmed that some stand-alone locations will be closing and reopening inside the retail stores.
According to Ford, the new locations will be open until 10 p.m. and offer more accessibility for customers.
“Employees of impacted private services providers are also being provided opportunities to continue employment with Staples Canada,” a spokesperson for the minister of public and business service delivery said in a statement earlier this month.
“New ServiceOntario Staples Canada locations will offer a 30 per cent increase in operating hours and save taxpayers almost a million dollars compared to the existing private providers they are replacing.”
However, the premier told reporters they’re “not touching government-run stores at all.” CTV News Toronto asked the premier’s office for clarity on what that meant and did not receive a response.
The Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery also did not answer multiple requests from CTV News Toronto regarding where the savings came from, how much it will be to retrofit the Staples Canada locations, and which ServiceOntario locations will be shuttered. They have also refused to address media reports that kiosks will also be going into a few Walmart stores.
The changes have sparked criticism from opposition parties, with Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner calling for an auditor general report into the decision.
Specifically, he is asking the auditor general to conduct a value-for-money audit on “the use of taxpayer dollars to upgrade Staples and Walmart locations, and the government’s agreement to pay 18 months of rent for the ServiceOntario location in downtown Toronto.”
The auditor general’s office has confirmed it has received the request for investigation and has yet to decide whether to pursue it.
“The office reviews the requests we receive and considers all the information available to determine whether we will look into those matters as part of our audit selection process.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Why would I box myself in?': Singh on why he won't commit to helping bring Trudeau's gov't down, yet
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's looming tariff threat is part of the reason why he's not committing to voting non-confidence in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.
'An enormous problem': Court delays plague criminal cases across the country
Legal delays are making it increasingly difficult for people to have their day in court. One Saskatoon family says they missed out on justice after delays forced the judge to stay proceedings in an impaired driving case that killed their daughter.
Donald Trump says Canada becoming 51st U.S. state is 'a great idea.' Jean Charest calls the comment a 'wake-up call'
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is taking aim at Canada once more, saying it would be 'a great idea' to make it America's ‘51st state.'
B.C. man drops camera into ocean, accidentally captures 'breathtaking' whale video
Before it turned into an extraordinary day, Peter Mieras says it began being quite ordinary.
Police suspect Utah father killed his wife and 3 kids, wounded son, then killed himself
Five people were found dead in a Utah home after a man apparently shot his wife and four children before killing himself, police said Wednesday. A 17-year-old boy survived but has a severe brain injury.
Invasive 'murder hornets' are wiped out in the U.S., officials say
The world's largest hornet, an invasive breed dubbed the “murder hornet” for its dangerous sting and ability to slaughter a honey bee hive in a matter of hours, has been declared eradicated in the U.S., five years after being spotted for the first time in Washington state near the Canadian border.
What's the best treatment for ADHD? Large new study offers clues
Stimulant medications and certain therapies are more effective in treating ADHD symptoms than placebos, a new study on more than 14,000 adults has found.
'It's a giant mess': Confusion remains about the GST/HST holiday
The organization representing small and medium size businesses in Canada says the start to the GST and HST holiday has been 'a giant mess.'
'You're either with Beijing or you're with Washington': Ford says to Mexico in CNN interview
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has a message for Mexico as the threat of tariffs by incoming president Donald Trump hangs over both sides of the U.S. border.