Minister promises new Georgetown licence office

NEWS RELEASE
Ted Arnott, MPP
Wellington – Halton Hills

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 31, 2010

Minister promises new Georgetown licence office
MPP Ted Arnott demands answers amid uncertainty surrounding community
licence issuing services
(Queen’s Park) – Georgetown will soon have a new ServiceOntario office, complete with driver and
vehicle licence issuing services as well as health card services, confirmed the Honourable Harinder
Takhar, Minister of Government Services, today in the Ontario Legislature.

The Minister responded to questions from Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott, who asked why
the Minister is closing the existing driver and vehicle licence issuing office in Georgetown.

“For longer than anyone in town can remember, the staff of the Georgetown licence issuing office
have been providing outstanding efficient services on the main street of Georgetown,” said Mr.
Arnott in the Legislature. “Where there have been years of courtesy and professionalism, there is
now uncertainty and doubt.”

In recent conversations with his Georgetown constituents, Mr. Arnott has heard over and over about
the importance of these local services, and serious concern about their removal. He is hopeful that
the Minister will follow through on his promises.

“I have been raising this issue since last year, and I’m pleased that the Minister has finally made a
clear, unequivocal statement in the Legislature that the new ServiceOntario office will up and
running promptly,” said Mr. Arnott.

Minister Takhar assured MPPs that the new office will be operating within 90 days of April 26,
2010—the date on which the new contract was awarded.

Mr. Arnott believes that the Minister must ensure that the new location will be conveniently located,
as was the last one, and that there will be no interruption of services.

“While I’m pleased by the Minister’s definitive promise, he still needs to deliver,” he said afterwards.

– 30 –

Ted Arnott, MPP
Phone: 416-325-3880
Email: ted.arnott@pc.ola.org
INSTANT HANSARD
MAY 31, 2010

GOVERNMENT SERVICES
Mr. Ted Arnott: My question is for the Minister of Government Services who is
responsible for the ServiceOntario program. A few days ago when I was in Georgetown, more
than one person expressed to me concern the impending closure of the Georgetown driver and
vehicle licence issuing office and the possible loss of an important local service to our
community. Will the minister inform the House why he’s closing the licence issuing office
in Georgetown?
Hon. Harinder S. Takhar: I want to thank the member for asking this question. I want
to tell him that ServiceOntario’s absolutely committed to providing services in Georgetown and
the neighbouring areas as well. We have selected a new vendor of record through the
procurement process, and the contract was awarded on April 26, 2010. The contractor, by the
agreement, is supposed to open the new office within 90 days. So I’m very pleased to tell you
that the new office will be operating and the residents of Georgetown will have the services
they need and deserve.
Mr. Ted Arnott: I thank the minister for that response, but I have to tell him that for
longer than anyone in town can remember, the staff of the Georgetownlicence issuing office
have been providing outstanding efficient services on the main street of Georgetown. Where
there have been years of courtesy and professionalism, there is now uncertainty and doubt.
Can the minister explain how this new office that he says he’ll open will be an
improvement? Can he assure us that the new location will be conveniently located, as the last
one was, and that there will be absolutely no interruption of service to my Halton
Hills constituents?
Hon. Harinder S. Takhar: I’m actually very pleased to share with the member that we
are modernizing and integrating ServiceOntario services under one roof. The new vendor we
have selected is an experienced vendor and will be providing the same kind of services that
had been provided before. I also want to tell you that we will not only be providing just drivers’
licences and vehicle stickers, but we will be adding health card services as well.
So, we will be expanding services. They will be available 90 days after the contract was
signed, and it will be by an experienced operator.