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Coronavirus: Unemployed workers lining up outside Service Canada locations in Winnipeg

People lined up outside the Service Canada location on St. Mary's Road Wednesday morning. Marney Blunt / Global News

Lineups have been forming outside Service Canada locations around Winnipeg, as the COVID-19 global pandemic leaves many unemployed.

A group of about 15 people, lined up outside the Service Canada location on St. Marys Avenue Wednesday morning, told Global News they had been waiting for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Omow Atiku says she came to the physical location because she was having trouble applying for unemployment insurance through Service Canada’s website, and the webpage wasn’t loading.

“I was trying to fill out E.I. only and it’s just been completely impossible to do that right now, so I just came here to see if I could get help,” Atiku said.

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“The website is not loading at all right now, so you couldn’t even get to the page to apply.”

She says it’s frustrating to have to come to the physical location, when she should be practicing social distancing.

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“I just hope this whole system could just get simplified soon,” Atiku said.

“If we could get all this done online it could avoid being here and possibly getting the virus, even when you’re trying to be as careful as you [can].”

Service Canada was not available for comment on Wednesday, but signs on their doors said they were limiting the amount of people allowed inside due to COVID-19.

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