Canadian passport delays are frustrating travellers. What’s the fix?
Global News
Canadians in need of new passports have been met with delays in processing for months, putting their travel plans at risk. What's going on?
Travelling has not been stress-free for many Canadians since COVID-19 measures began to ease earlier this year.
Many have been caught up in delays at major airports this spring, with some waiting for hours to clear health checks and customs.
Meanwhile, for those who aren’t at the airport, attempts to get a hold of a new passport to plan those trips abroad have been excruciating. For weeks, many Canadians have been seen waiting in lines outside Service Canada offices to get their much-needed travel documents.
So, what’s happening exactly and what’s being done to fix the issue? Here’s what we know.
Unprecedented demand for Canadian passports has led to delays in processing times, putting eager travellers in limbo ahead of the summer travel season.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many Canadians were forced to put their travel plans on hold due to measures imposed to limit the spread of the novel disease.
More than two years later, many of those restrictions are being lifted and travellers are eager to head abroad, but some need to get their documentation in order to do so.
Officials have been bracing for a rise in passport demand with the relaxation of COVID-19 border measures, which have eased several times this year.