HUMBOLDT — The Humboldt Wildlife Federation and the city’s mayor are not happy to see the provincial government end walk-in service at the ministry of environment field offices.
Service will end on May 14. The office will remain, with conservation officers working from the location.
“The Humboldt field office has been a real benefit to the area, especially when it comes to individuals who aren’t savvy with the draw system or with the new tag system,” said Matt Schidlowsky, the federation’s president.
“I know the people that are in the office bend over backwards to help anybody that has trouble navigating the online accessing of tags and applications.”
Schidlowsky is concerned that once local hunters and anglers are dealing with staff in another location, it will be difficult to get timely service or communicate issues that a local would understand, making it harder to enjoy their sports in a legal manner.
Karl Breker, who was a conservation officer based out of Humboldt until four years ago, said he’s concerned the changes will require conservation officers to do tasks that used to be done by the front office staff.
“If the conservation officers are going to have to be doing those types of things, answering those questions or making arrangements to meet people to do those things, then there’s going to be less time in the field,” he said.
“It’s going to take away [from that] and that’s why they’re there.”
The former conservation office said he’s also concerned that some permits can’t be done online easily and to obtain them in a timely manner may require a trip to a regional office outside of Humboldt.
Rob Muench, Humboldt’s mayor, said the closure was something he brought to council at their March 15 meeting.
“It seems every few years, we're having provincial government offices and services in our city eliminated.”
The mayor said it’s been a gradual thing, but it’s one of those things that he’s concerned about, because whenever something like that happens, it's not only jobs gone, but services as well.
Muench said he’s planning to write a letter and talk to local MLA Donna Harpauer about the closure.
