6 ServiceOntario Centres Are Opening In Staples Stores & Here's Where You Can Access Services
New ServiceOntario centres are opening at Staples stores soon and will offer benefits that aren't available in "traditional service centres."
While it was thought the new locations would be kiosks, the provincial government has shared that these will be "fully equipped" centres.
Details about these new locations were revealed during a press conference on January 29, 2024. Here's what you need to know!
Why you should care: Six ServiceOntario locations are opening in Staples stores on Thursday, February 1.
Then, three more centres will open later this year, the provincial government announced.
These "fully equipped" service centres are in Scarborough, Newmarket, Oakville, Welland, Strathroy and Tillsonburg.
Here's where you'll be able to find the new Staples Canada-operated ServiceOntario centres:
- Oakville — 2460 Winston Churchill Boulevard
- Newmarket — 17810 Yonge Street
- Scarborough — 180 Eglinton Avenue East
- Strathroy — 425 Caradoc Street South
- Tillsonburg— 200 Broadway Street
- Welland — 800 Niagara Street
Todd McCarthy, the minister of public and business service delivery, said these new locations "will provide many benefits not available in our traditional service centres."
That includes extended operating hours, readily available parking, access to public transit routes, appointment booking, and both retail and ServiceOntario services in one location.
What they're saying: "We are here for you no matter where you live, no matter how many services you need to access each year and no matter your accessibility needs," McCarthy said.
The more than 200 ServiceOntario centres across the province "guarantee a vast and reliable network of service availability," according to the minister.
"We need to be able to reliably get the vital products and services that people and businesses need while tailoring service delivery to fit the unique needs of the community being serviced," McCarthy said.
Ontario's Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery previously told Narcity that all the new ServiceOntario locations aren't kiosks but actual service centres.
ICYMI: On December 7, 2023, it was announced that new ServiceOntario centres would open in select Staples Canada stores in early 2024.
Then, Ontario Premier Doug Ford told CityNews on January 22, 2024, that this "comes down to customer service."
"Not everyone can make it into one of the outlets from 9 to 5," he said. "People are going to have more access."
Ford also noted that the provincial government isn't closing and converting any government-run ServiceOntario centres.
What comes next: Six ServiceOntario centres will open at Staples stores in Scarborough, Newmarket, Oakville, Welland, Strathroy and Tillsonburg on February 1.
Appointments for ServiceOntario centres in Staples stores and other locations across the province can be booked online or by phone at 1-800-387-3445.
No details have been shared yet about where the additional centres will be opening later this year.
Keep reading: If you don't live close to a centre or one of the new locations in Staples stores, you don't need to go into a ServiceOntario centre to access all of the services offered by the provincial government.
You can now access ServiceOntario online for more than 55 of the most in-demand services including renewing your driver's license, renewing your license plate, renewing your health card, and more.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
