'It comes down to customer service,' Doug Ford says of ServiceOntario moving to Staples stores

ServiceOntario's move to big-box stores questioned Ontario Premier Doug Ford addressed the plan to close some ServiceOntario counters for kiosks in stores like Staples and Walmart.

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.”

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.”