The Government of Saskatchewan is encouraging those looking to obtain hunting and fishing licenses from an online vendor. The government recently announced plans to close front counter services at 19 of its field offices. (submitted photo/Government of Saskatchewan)

By paNOW Staff

Ministry of Environment closes front counter services at 19 locations

Mar 16, 2019 | 8:49 AM

The Saskatchewan Government and General Employee’s Union (SGEU) is responding to the Saskatchewan government’s announcement of plans to close front counter services at 19 of its field offices.

“News that the Ministry of Environment is closing front counter services at 19 of its field offices is more proof that the Sask Party is trying to balance its books on the backs of workers, while reducing vital services to members of the public,” SGEU said in a media release.

“This government has made countless poor financial decisions over the past few years, including the GTH, the Regina bypass, LEAN, the Boundary Dam carbon capture project and more, and now they are making workers and the public suffer because of their own fiscal incompetence,” said SGEU President Bob Bymoen in a media release.

Front counter services will be discontinued in 19 communities, including Big River, Buffalo Narrows, Humboldt, Île-à-la-Crosse, Lloydminster, Pinehouse, Southend, and Spiritwood.

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“These workers provide excellent service, in-depth knowledge for hunters and anglers, access for the public to check for chronic wasting disease, and much more,” Bymoen said. “You can’t replace the knowledge these people provide to the public with an online system. Sadly, we’re seeing the Sask Party continue to dismantle services and good jobs just because they have wasted billions of dollars over the past several years. They need to work on cutting back on their wasteful spending, not valuable public services.””

“The change does impact 16 part-time staff and three full-time staff. The majority of the impacted offices (10) are currently only open two days a week,” the Government of Saskatchewan responded in another media release.

“Clients formerly served in these locations will be encouraged to use electronic self-serve options such as the online Hunting, Angling and Trapping Licence (HAL) system, private licence vendors or one of the ministry’s 13 offices with front counter services. Conservation officers will remain working at the offices serving the impacted communities. However, there will be no front counter or walk-in service to the public.”

Kevin Murphy, assistant deputy minister for resource management and compliance division of the Ministry of Environment told paNOW the ministry found the majority of clients were already receiving service through the commercial vendor network or online.

“Less than two per cent of our license sales were going through those offices. So the decision to rationalize our service delivery was made, and this is the result,” Murphy said.

“I think we find that in terms of providing service to our clients, there is a number of different channels we think they are utilizing and we want to expand those. We want to ensure that services like drop off of samples isn’t being lost, and we are exploring partnerships with both commercial, and other partner agencies in government to ensure that is still available to our clients.”

Murphy added that 19 positions will be impacted, with one job transfer taking place.

“Those positons are all subject to the collective bargaining agreement. Which means that the positions are being abolished, but the fate for staff I can’t determine at this time,” he said. “The offices are not closing, the conservation officers will continue to work out of the 19 locations, we are merely halting the front counter walk-in service at these locations.”

The closures are expected to take place between April 1 and October 1, depending on the locations. Most offices will discontinue front counter service on May 14, 2019.

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panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow