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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, Ja nu ar y 17 ,2 01 9 | 26 Rising costs and stag- nant commissions have led the operator of George- town's ServiceOntario of- fice to close it, effective Feb. 15. "We've had the same commission levels since 2009," said Alex Soler. "Ev- ery time we go to a new gov- ernment, they say 'we don't have any money.' It's come to the point where it's not economically feasible." Soler said while commis- sions on transactions have remained unchanged, the cost of doing business has not. Since he began operat- ing the Georgetown office eight years ago, minimum wage has risen from $9.85 to $14.00. The only way to make up that difference is to do more transactions. And while Sol- er said they do get custom- ers coming from Brampton and Mississauga due to the shorter wait times in Georgetown, he said it hasn't been enough to make up for people now renewing online. ServiceOntario issues li- cence plate sticker and driv- er's licence renewals, vehi- cle registrations, accessible parking permits, health card renewals and replace- ments, birth, marriage and death certificates and hunt- ing and fishing licences. Soler said on average, the Georgetown office has about 100 customers per day. He said with Bill 50, which will allow car dealers to register vehicles without going through a ServiceOn- tario office, likely to pass, it will drastically cut into the number of transactions. The bill, known as the "cut- ting the red tape" bill, is meant to speed up the pro- cess of purchasing a car, but Soler said in most cases dealerships still have to wait for financing to be approved before completing a sale. Soler said he has one ter- minal designated for dealer- ships and allows them to drop off paperwork and pick it up once it has been pro- cessed. He added Service- Ontario offices provide an important step in the pro- cess, making sure paper- work is filled out correctly to minimize delays. Soler, who operates four other ServiceOntario offic- es, said although the per- centage is not as high in Georgetown, dealerships can account for as much as 40 per cent of transactions at some offices. He said Servi- ceOntario offices run by pri- vate service providers have closed in Mississauga and Richmond Hill within the past year and he expects Bill 50 will cause more to close or to cut back on staff, which will increase wait times. Soler said the decision to close the Georgetown office was particularly tough be- cause he lives in town. "We loved the opportuni- ty to offer these services. We've been involved in hock- ey and soccer in town and when we got the contract, we were delighted to have a business and be part of the community we live in." It is expected the prov- ince will look for a new Ser- viceOntario operator and Soler hopes one is found and that the new operator will take on his six employees, five full-time and one part- time. "This is not good for our residents, but at the same time, I sympathize with the owner for making this diffi- cult business decision," Hal- ton Hills Mayor Rick Bon- nette said in a statement on the town's website. There are two Service- Ontario offices in Milton (Main Street and High Point Drive, off Highway 25 just north of the 401) and two in the west end of Brampton (McLaughlin Road and an- other on Wexford Road, just off Hurontario). Bonnette said he will be expressing his concerns to Minister of Government and Consumer Services and MPP for Wellington-Halton Hills Ted Arnott. "We don't know the time- line," Bonnette said, "but I am encouraged that the province understands the need for the Halton Hills community to have access to its own Service Ontario office." NEWS Georgetown's ServiceOntario office will close Feb. 15. Alex Soler said commissions on transactions have not changed since he began running the local office in 2010, and with more people renewing online, he said it was no longer economically feasible to operate the Georgetown office. Herb Garbutt / Metroland GEORGETOWN SERVICEONTARIO OFFICE TO CLOSE FEB. 15 HERB GARBUTT hgarbutt@metroland.com A new cemetery for the general public is taking shape for residents in Halton Hills and their families. Devereaux Cemetery is located in a quiet country setting on the 17th Side Road, just west of Trafalgar Road. It's adjacent to the Holy Redeemer Cemetery and open to people of all religious faiths. Contact us for information about available interment options, either at time of need or in advance. 905-877-8500 l www.devereauxcemetery.ca Owned and operated by The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of the Diocese of Hamilton Don't miss out! Visit website for details and to register! georgetownsoccerclub.com Mark Your CalenDar! register online for the 2019 outdoor house league season from January 28th to February 10th to receive early bird savings. SAVE $25 Enriching the lives of Children Since 1985. www.georgetowndaycare.ca LOCATIONS 479 Guelph St., Norval 905-877-4376 • 483 Guelph St., Norval 905-877-4375 Ages 2-5 yrs. Call for space. Nursery School Program Transportation To/From Local Schools A loving and calm environment for newborns to 18 months. Infant Care • Beautiful parkland setting at the Lucy Maud Montgomery Park • Nutritious Lunches & Snacks made on site Full time Daycare