Manitoba set to close several rural government offices

Several provincial offices in rural Manitoba are closing but no jobs will be lost.

The move affects dozens of people and impacts conservation offices in Mafeking, Grandview, Leaf Rapids and Deloraine, along with agriculuture offices in Fisher Branch and Starbuck.

All are being closed while the local government office in Thompson is being downsized.

Staff at those locations will be absorbed into nearby offices less than a half hour away from their current office sites. Only one employee is retiring in the move, a conservation officer in Leaf Rapids.

The move is part of the province's pledge in the Throne Speech to trim 600 jobs from the civil service.

Several local government offices and agriculture offices will be affected as well.

Manitoba's Finance Minister Stan Struthers said the closures will streamline services and save more than $140,000 a year.

The closures will begin in the new year, depending on the lease dates of buildings involved.

Struthers said those offices were targeted as the first to close because the employees were the most willing to relocate to larger centres.

More closures can be expected "soon," he added.