The Ministry of Social Development confirmed an investigation was launched after clients gained access to its offices on Labieux Rd. office when it should have been closed. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

security questions

Investigation launched into unlocked provincial ministry building in Nanaimo

Jan 10, 2022 | 5:41 AM

NANAIMO — Ministry of Social Development officials are looking into how members of the public gained access to a large government building which should have been locked shut.

The investigation follows an experience by Shawn Zboyovsky, who entered the Employment and Income Assistance office on Labieux Rd. in Nanaimo on Monday, Jan. 3.

Zboyovsky went to fill out monthly paperwork thinking it would be another routine outing, but the building was un-staffed and empty on the statutory holiday. He said it was bizarre seeing two other ministry clients also unsure what was going on with no staff or security there.

“My private information has already been breached with LifeLabs, it’s a cause for concern, just the fact a public institution is wide open,” Zboyovsky said, who noted three sets of doors which should have been locked were open.

He recounted a short video he shot of what he experienced.

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“I explained what was going on, ‘There’s nobody here, there’s nobody here.’ It was around 1:30 or 2:00 p.m. I looked down the hall, I looked behind where people should be, there was no one there.”

Zboyovsky reached out to NanaimoNewsNOW in an effort to raise awareness and help get an explanation.

A Ministry of Social Development statement confirmed an investigation is underway as a result of NanaimoNewsNOW’s inquiry.

“Staff have already done a full walk through of the office and confirmed that there is no evidence that the inner offices (non-public areas) were breached, which is confirmed by the video footage the client provided. The file room is on a separate lock and is secured every night.”

The statement added the file room remained locked and was only opened by staff when they arrived for work on Tuesday, Jan. 4.

An investigation by the ministry is underway to find out why the building was open at the time and to “confirm that no breach of client information occurred.”

Around 3,800 Ministry of Social Development clients are served through the office at 2100 Labieux Rd.

The ministry said it obtains and stores mostly digital records, however some paperwork is collected.

“The physical records are held in a secure file room that is on a separate locking system and was not breached,” the statement said.

The building is also home to office space for two other provincial ministries; transportation and forests.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes