Hours to be cut at RR Service Ontario office

By Ken Johnston
Editor

As Ontario grapples with its $14.8 billion budget deficit, it is becoming clear that its citizens are in for many cuts to services.
The first salvo came in the spring when Ontario Travel Information Centres in Rainy River and Fort Frances were closed for good.
Then two weeks ago cuts to the Ministry of Natural Resources were announced that will affect provincial parks. The closest Provincial Park to Rainy River is Caliper Lake Park; near Nestor Falls. Camping will no longer be allowed there or at nine other provincial parks and 28 full time and 102 seasonal staff members have been cut.
Last week the Record learned that Service Ontario’s office in Rainy River will see cuts to its hours. The office, which is now open Monday to Friday for 40 hours per week, will be cut to half days, four days per week. There will be no staff cuts, but the full time position, vacated by retirement of Sheri Pirkl, will not be replaced.
Alan Cairns, a spokesperson for Service Ontario told the Record Monday that the changes are being made due to low volumes of transations at the office. "Rainy River averages 35 transactions per day with no wait times." He also noted that the Service Ontario office in Fort Frances will be business as usual and that this move to reduce hours has no connection to talk of privatizing Service Ontario.
Cairns noted that over 40 services available at the office can be conducted from a person's home now via computer and the internet.
Kenora-Rainy River Member of Provincial Parliament, Sarah Campbell, was unaware of the cuts to hours of operation. “It is a ridiculous move given the recent branding of the provincial government and an offensive one to the people of smaller communities, such as Rainy River,” said Campbell. She was referring to efforts by the province in recent years to brand itself as a "One Stop Shopping" experience for all government services.
While the move is said to be to save money, Campbell feels otherwise. “What I can tell you right now is that this is most likely a case of the government moving ahead with its plans to privatize Service Ontario, as was announced in their last budget. It is the main reason why I felt that I couldn’t vote in favour of the budget.”
Campbell went on to say, “With privatization, services only continue to be provided as long as they are profitable. In smaller centres, such as many communities in the North, profitability just isn’t possible. But do we still need access to these services? Absolutely. Which is why I believe privatization has no role in the provision of government services. Governments aren’t supposed to make profit, they are supposed to provide services and access to these services to all constituents in a fair and equitable manner. This won’t happen with privatization.”
It is expected the changes in hours at Service Ontario in Rainy River will take effect near the end of November of 2012.
The office provides a wide array of government services such as Driver’s Licenses, Health Cards, Fishing and Hunting Licenses, etc.
Campbell said last week that she will continue to oppose privatizing Service Ontario. “I can tell you that I have been raising this issue and that it is something that I am vehemently opposed to.”