About Service Canada | Services Where You Live
November 24, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(NEWMARKET, ONTARIO) - Belinda Stronach, M.P. for Newmarket-Aurora and Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal today announced that the delivery of government services to residents of Newmarket is being improved. The improvements include the addition of new service offerings and transformation of the Newmarket Service Canada Centre.
"I am pleased that the Newmarket and Aurora area will benefit from the service improvements that Service Canada is bringing to Canadians across the country," said Minister Stronach. "Our commitment to Canadians is simple: provide better and more accessible service to Canadians. Service Canada will ensure that the personalized assistance Canadians receive is delivered by people who can help them quickly find the right information about the programs and services they need."
The Newmarket Service Canada Centre, located in the Tannery Mall at 465 Davis Drive, is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Service Canada was launched on September 14, 2005, providing a one-stop service delivery network for Canadians to get the information and services they need, whenever and however it is most convenient.
The Newmarket Service Canada Centre, which is currently being renovated, will provide an open engaging environment where individuals will be greeted and guided to the service they require. Service Canada employees will actively assist clients to ensure they can find the answers they are seeking. The Centre will provide computer stations to facilitate job searches, access to information on government programs and benefits, and online applications. As well, information specific to youth, seniors and persons with disabilities will be readily available in designated areas within the office. In the interim, residents of Newmarket will continue to receive service and assistance from the Centre.
Mobile outreach services will be provided to improve access for special segments of the Newmarket area's population who may not otherwise have access to information, services, programs and benefits, such as seniors and persons with disabilities. In addition, the Centre will be looking to use mobile outreach to provide increased access to citizens who live in the rural areas of Bradford, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, King Township and Whitchurch Stouffville. The Centre already has expanded services geared to seniors for information on pensions and other services. For example, the Centre maintains applications and information for the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), and employees can certify documents on location allowing for one-stop drop-off of applications. There are trained and knowledgeable employees on hand to respond to CPP and OAS inquiries.
Service Canada integrates services from a number of federal departments to form an easy-to-access service delivery network. Today, this network brings together 320 points of service in communities throughout Canada; a national 1 800 O-Canada (1 800 622-6232) telephone service providing Canadians with information about all federal government services; and a range of on-line services at servicecanada.gc.ca. In 2006, Service Canada will double its points of service across Canada, reaching 1.25 million more Canadians.
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For further information (media only):
Normand Bergeron
Office of the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development
(819) 994-2482
Media Relations Office
Service Canada
(819) 994-5559
Public Enquiries:
1 800 O-Canada (1 800 622-6232)
TTY: 1 800 926-9105
servicecanada.gc.ca
