The priority of Access PEI is to continue to improve service to the public and this can best be achieved with more employees at high traffic sites. Related issues include the safety of staff operating single-person sites. In all but one case, the sites were operated by a single employee. The five sites that will close are: Crapaud, Kinkora, North Rustico, Stratford and Morell. Although Stratford had more than one staff person, staff will be moved from that site to address chronic staff shortages and long wait times at the Riverside Drive Access site.

The consolidation of Access PEI will save government approximately $65,000 in the expenditures required to operate the sites. If government had chosen the option of adding a second staff person because of safety concerns, it would have cost an additional $125,000.

Over the next few months, government will move to put more services on line, which will allow people to access services 24 hours a day.

Library services will continue to be available in Morell and Stratford.