HUMBOLDT — A petition hosted by the Humboldt Wildlife Federation is asking the provincial government not to shut down front counter service at the local ministry of environment office.
The province announced in late March it would end the service as of May 14, with one part-time job being lost. Humboldt is one of 19 communities that will lose the service. A government spokesperson said most people are buying hunting and angling licence at commercial vendors or online.
Matt Schidlowsky, the federation’s president, said the front counter service is a huge benefit to anybody that's not tech savvy.
“If that isn't available, it becomes really difficult for members who haven't got access to the internet.”
The president added that if there’s an issue that requires discussion with the ministry of environment, it’s easier to have it resolved in person rather than over the phone.
The federation is also concerned the end of the service means conservation officers will have to spend more time dealing with issues that were dealt with at the front counter.
The petition can be found at the Humboldt Motors body shop during regular hours.
“It's very important that we get the word out there that we can get as many signatures as possible to get the support behind it to let the government know that it's a concern for our community,” Schidlowsky said.
“It affects our community on a local level and a lot that happens with regard to services like this is once they're gone, they're very hard to get back.”
