By Tom Collins
TORONTO — In an effort to save money, the provincial government is getting rid of landlines for many employees who also have a cell phone.
The move will save an estimated $8 million per year: OMAFRA’s 500 dropped phone lines will save about $250,000 per year.
The government announced in March a new policy that would give its employees an option of having either a landline or a cell phone. Many OMAFRA employees have already made the switch. Starting in early June, anyone calling a disconnected landline will get a message that says the recipient cannot accept any phone calls at this number. It does not give a new contact phone number.
Former Ontario Finance Minister Vic Fedeli removed the landlines in his office last September, and estimates making the switch to just cell phones would save his office $10,857.40 annually.
Here are up-to-date phone numbers for some OMAFRA employees.
Agroforestry specialist Todd Leuty at Guelph: 519-835-5872
Beef cattle specialist Megan Van Schaik at Guelph: 519-820-4175
Bio-products specialist Mahendra Thimmanagari at Guelph: 519-212-7984
Canola and edible bean specialist Meghan Moran at Stratford: 519-546-1725
Cereals specialist Joanna Follings at Stratford: 519-400-7124
Corn specialist Ben Rosser at Guelph: 519-824-4120 ext. 54865 (cell: 519-400-2522)
Crop innovations specialist Ian McDonald at Guelph: 519-824-4120 ext. 56707 (cell: 519-239-3473)
Dairy cattle specialist Tom Wright at Guelph: 519-824-4120 ext. 56281 (cell: 519-766-2344)
Dairy specialist Marlene Paibomesai at Elora: 226-979-8419
Field crops entomologist Tracey Baute at Ridgetown: 519-360-7817
Field crop pathologist Albert Tenuta at Ridgetown: 519-360-8307
Field crops sustainability specialist Christine Brown at Woodstock: 519-533-3358
Fruit crop specialist Erica Pate at Simcoe: 519-410-0624
Fruit crop specialist Kathryn Carter at Vineland: 905-562-1639 (cell: 905-687-1280)
Forage and grazier specialist Christine O’Reilly at Lindsay: 705-341-4899
Ginseng and medicinal herbs specialist Sean Westerveld at Simcoe: 519-426-4323 (cell: 519-420-7440)
Greenhouse floriculture specialist Chevonne Dayboll at Vineland: 905-562-4141 ext 179 (cell: 289-241-2817)
Greenhouse vegetable IPM specialist Cara McCreary at Harrow: 519-981-2851
Greenhouse vegetable specialist Shalin Khosla at Harrow: 519-738-1257 (cell: 519-981-2536)
Horticulture IPM specialist Melanie Filotas as Simcoe: 519-426-4434 (cell: 519-428-4340)
Livestock sustainability specialist Christoph Wand at Elora: 519-820-3150
New crop development specialist Evan Elford at Simcoe: 519-426-4509 (cell: 519-420-9343)
Nursery and landscape specialist Jennifer Llewellyn at Guelph: 519-835-5873
Poultry specialist Al Dam at Guelph: 519-824-4120 ext. 54326 (cell: 519-835-5971)
Sheep specialist Delma Kennedy at Elora: 519-820-8892
Small ruminant specialist Jillian Craig at Lindsay: 705-341-1246
Field crops soil fertility specialist Jake Munroe at Stratford: 519-301-0548
Soil management specialist Sebastian Belliard at Kemptville: 613-301-0897
Soybean specialist Horst Bohner at Stratford: 519-272-4827
Swine specialist Laura Eastwood at Stratford: 226-921-5819
Swine specialist Jaydee Smith at Ridgetown: 519-358-5829
Tree fruit specialist Amanda Green at Simcoe: 519-426-1102 (cell: 226-931-4098)
Vegetable crops specialist Dennis Van Dyk at Guelph: 519-766-5337
Vegetable crops specialist Elaine Roddy at Ridgetown: 519-401-5890
Vegetable crops specialist Travis Cranmer at Guelph: 519-835-3382
Weed management field crops specialist Michael Cowbrough at Guelph: 519-824-4120 ext. 52580 (cell: 519-820-2336)
