UXBRIDGE: Do you know where your nearest Service Canada is?
The closest Service Canada locations for people living in North Durham are in Oshawa and Linsday.
However, a “pop-up” Service Canada set up will be available at the Uxbridge Library on October 25th and November 29th, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Meet with Geoff James, and he can provide some assistance. Mr. James is a citizen services specialist with Service Canada.
Mr. James can help residents with employment insurance, their Canada pension plan and much more. Ms. O’Shea Brown would like to note that he will not be able to provide assistance for passport applications or photos.
Mr. James specializes in community outreach and liaison services for Service Canada. Ms. O’Shea Brown, library assistant, said this is the first time the Uxbridge Library and Service Canada have run this program together.
Mr. James has facilitated this outreach service before at other locations. And, Ms. O’Shea Brown hopes the program will go successfully so the library can host it again.
“Hopefully [Mr. James] is busy enough that we’ll be able to continue the [program],” said Ms. O’Shea Brown.
She said the outreach program will provide convenience for some residents because there is no Service Canada location in Uxbridge.
According to Ms. O’Shea Brown, Mr. James reached out to the Uxbridge Library.
There are a few benefits of this community outreach program.
“It brings people into the library,” explained Ms. O’Shea Brown. “We [do not only provide] library services, we’re also a ‘community hub’.”
She said the Uxbridge Library runs a variety of programs and events throughout the year.
So, the outreach program may collect a lot of foot traffic, bringing more people into the library. Then they can learn about the library’s other services and what it offers the community.