Hours of waiting are to be expected to obtain a passport in Alberta

By email, Service Canada acknowledges that the increase in the number of passport applications in recent weeks resulted in lineups and longer wait times for services.

The government agency says it has received no less than 500,000 passport applications over the past seven weeks. In fact, Service Canada issued 1,273,000 passports between 1^er September 2021 and March 31, 2022, compared to 363,000 passports between 1^er April 2020 and March 31, 2021.

Service Canada explains that it must respect protocols related to the coronavirus to ensure the safety of citizens, thus limiting the number of employees who can work in person.

[Tous les Centres Service Canada] must respect the capacity limits imposed by the federal government […] Therefore, customers who show up in person must wait their turn outside the premises rather than in our waiting rooms.can we read in the response of the Government Agency.

Some people say they feel discouraged about the process of obtaining or renewing their passport.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Axel Tardieu

Federal Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance Randy Boissonnault, who represents the riding of Edmonton Centre, said the wait time comes at a time when people want to travel after months of restrictions. According to him, the government is monitoring the situation closely.

Discouraged Travelers

Aida Gonter desperately tries to get to the Philippines. In tears, however, she explained that she was discouraged by the passport application process. I’m trying to get a passport because my father just passed away. I really want to attend his funeralshe explains.

I have all the documents with me [pour obtenir un passeport provisoire]. When I was queuing, [des agents de Services Canada] didn’t even show sympathyshe laments.

Shawna Galloway, for her part, is on her third attempt in four days. Since Monday, she has been trying to obtain a passport for her daughter, but several queue changes have made her lose time.

[La première journée] an agent told us we had to wait in the walk-in line instead of where we were waiting. So he said to come back the next day at 6 o’clock, because they only took thirty [personnes] without an appointment. So we came the next day, we had the same line in a line that we thought was the right one, because he didn’t say which one.

We waited for two hours to find out it was the rush queue, we had to change lanesshe says.

Jennifer Hovila, for her part, did not expect to face so many complications to obtain passports for her children.

Jennifer Hovila got her passport just before her trip and after weeks of waiting.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Axel Tardieu

The Red Deer resident says she’s had more calls in the past few days. In preparation for her April 29 trip to Hawaii, she completed the required paperwork for those passports on February 28. A few hours before she left, she finally got them.

It was extremely stressful, just because the passport process is really slow. When we started, we were told it would take six to eight weeks. Obviously, this deadline is not realisticshe says.