NDP: Ford needs to come clean about using public dollars to fund Staples ServiceOntario scheme

QUEEN’S PARK – With media reports confirming the Ford Conservatives will be footing the bill with taxpayer money to retrofit Staples locations with ServiceOntario outposts, the NDP says the government must come clean about the details behind this decision.

"It’s looking like Ford's Conservatives handed a sole-sourced contract to a large American corporation, allowing them to profit off of delivering key government services,” said Tom Rakocevic, Official Opposition NDP critic for Consumer Protection.

“Again, we’re seeing this government refuse to be transparent about their backroom deals. We’re seeing them hand over more of our government services to mega corporations, using taxpayer dollars to help a private company’s bottom line.”

A job posting on Staples’ website shows the company is looking to hire ServiceOntario workers with the goal of “monetization of ServiceOntario traffic” and delivering “sales and profit results related to ServiceOntario traffic.”

“People are already waiting too long to access basic government services,” Rakocevic said. “Now, the Ford government is letting Staples profit off of Ontarians while they wait. The Premier needs to come clean about why he is giving an American company a sole-sourced deal and how that will help people in Ontario.”