Sea to Sky Corridor residents impacted by the economic downturn now have help closer to home with the official opening of a new Service Canada office in Squamish on Nov. 2.
West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky MP John Weston was on hand for a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday (Nov. 9).
He said the agency's help with the bureaucracy of federal programs and services such as employment insurance claims, Canada pension plans, old age security and the federal job bank is especially crucial in the wake of job losses and financial hardships.
"With this new Service Canada Centre, residents of Squamish and surrounding neighbourhoods have access to personalized assistance about important programs and services," said Weston.
District of Squamish Coun. Bryan Raiser was also on hand to celebrate the opening of the office, saying it was an "awesome" addition to the community, and he was "stoked" that there would now be more reason for Sea to Sky Corridor residents to come to the downtown.
The office's four employees may be the most pleased with the establishment of the new office since every one is a Squamish residents who has been commuting to their Service Canada jobs in North Vancouver for between six and 33 years.
However, since each employee is also fully trained to work in a passport intake office, locals have already been lodging complaints that the new location does not offer a passport service.
Director of Service Canada's Vancouver management area, Heather Backhouse, said the service may be "something to look forward to."
"We have an agreement with our other passport colleagues that identifies the sites and timeframes that we work on that [passport office] expansion," said Backhouse.
"Because this is a new location it hadn't been part of those early discussions.
"We'll certainly be taking the interest that's been expressed by the community for the passport service offering to those [future] discussions. It will be something to look forward to to be able to add other services to what we currently offer when that day comes along."
Weston said the focus of the new Service Canada office and the emphasis in government is to improve services that will help Canadians respond to the economic downturn.
"And who knows?" he added. "Maybe we'll work on improving passport services as well."
The opening of the location shows that Ottawa is listening when it comes to Squamish's needs, said Weston.
"There's a saying that Ottawa is 3,000 miles away and Squamish is 3,000 miles from Ottawa. But because of people like the mayor and council who have been working really hard to ensure the needs are articulated and the priorities are really clear, it's been easy for me to take those words forward," he said.
"So if people here are saying ultimately we absolutely have to get a passport office as well, then people like Heather and I will be working together to try to make that happen."
Service Canada assistance is also available online at www.canada.gc.ca and by telephone at 1 800 O-Canada.
