The Ford government is planning to expand ServiceOntario locations into retail stores, following criticism over a previous deal with Staples to run some kiosks. The Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery is seeking retailers of all sizes for potential partnerships to host ServiceOntario locations. Minister Todd McCarthy stated that there is no limit to the number of businesses they will consider for this partnership. The ideal businesses should be located in central, convenient, and accessible areas with strong community presence, parking, adequate space, and cost-effective lease options.
The move to expand ServiceOntario into retail stores comes after the controversial deal with Staples, where the stationery giant received an annual fee for hosting ServiceOntario kiosks instead of a per-transaction basis payment. The government faced criticism for not going through a competitive tender process for this agreement. The plan initially involved shutting down some privately operated ServiceOntario locations and relocating them into Staples stores. The business case for the Staples deal showed that the government is expected to pay Staples a total of $1.75 million in one-time costs for setting up nine kiosks, and $8.29 million over three years to run the locations.
The government is now engaging in a public process to find new retail partners for ServiceOntario locations, in contrast to the Staples deal. The government had considered moving kiosks into other major stores such as Loblaws, Metrol, Ikea, and Costco before finalizing the deal with Staples. The business case also outlines six pilots, including co-locating ServiceOntario at municipal libraries, with First Nations, and integration with other government services as part of evolving the province’s delivery model. The Ontario NDP Leader expressed concerns about privatizing government services and believes that the public model ensures a certain level of professionalism in service provision.
The request for qualifications posted by the government aims to identify potential retail partners who are interested in hosting ServiceOntario centres. This is the first step in a longer process to establish partnerships with businesses for hosting ServiceOntario locations within their stores. The government is open to hearing from as many interested potential partners as possible and is looking forward to working with retailers to expand ServiceOntario’s presence in retail locations. The government’s goal is to ensure that ServiceOntario is easily accessible to the public and that services are provided professionally and efficiently.
