The frustrating delays Ontarians are experiencing in obtaining official documents are far from over as the Office of the Registrar General prepares to layoff 150 contract employees July 30, OPSEU told a news conference today.
The employees represent half of the 300 additional contract staff brought in five months ago to deal with a huge backlog in processing birth certificates. In February, applicants were waiting a minimum of 18 to 22 weeks to receive their birth certificates. While there has been some progress in reducing this turnaround time, the government’s
claims that the wait has been reduced to a minimum of six to eight weeks do not match the experience of workers at the centre or that of the public.
“Is it a case of mission accomplished?” asks OPSEU President Leah Casselman. “Hardly. We know that both the Office of the Registrar General’s telephone lines and the MPP’s offices continue to be jammed with angry Ontarians looking for the documents they need to get on with their lives.”
The union is concerned that the layoff will increase already long waiting times for vital documents. “Applications for birth certificates have to be in perfect order to make it through in a minimum of six to eight weeks,” she says. “Only about one quarter of applications fit in that category.”
While most of the recent focus has been on birth certificates, other documents are taking much longer. Birth, death and marriage registrations are taking six months or more. Change of name certificates are taking more than a year.
Sandra Snider, President of OPSEU Local 736 and an employee in the Thunder Bay office of the Registrar General, says they are getting 5,000 calls a day and only have the ability to answer 1,500. “As one of 25 call centre workers, I spend much of the day apologizing to callers for these unacceptable delays,” she says.
OPSEU is calling upon Minister Jim Watson to recall the layoffs and hire enough permanent full-time staff to cope with the increased demands.
The delays have resulted from increased security provisions and the need for increased documentation post 9/11. The implementation of a troublesome computer system that was launched prior to being ready has also contributed to the chaos.
For further information:
Rick Janson 416-443-8888
