Tuesday, December 30, 2025
    ADVT 
    National

    Canada's passport backlog 'completely eliminated'

    Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 21 Mar, 2023 11:02 AM
    • Canada's passport backlog 'completely eliminated'

    OTTAWA - Families Minister Karina Gould announced today that the federal government has now "completely eliminated" the backlog of passport applications that caused major delays — and major political strife — last year.

    She also announced that Ottawa is launching a new digital tool that will allow Canadians to check the status of their Service Canada application online, as long as they provide an email address.

    The update comes after Gould said in late January that the backlog was "virtually eliminated," with the exception of some complex cases held back for reasons such as child-custody issues.

    The pandemic had caused a nearly two-year lull in passport applications, but demand skyrocketed once people began travelling again, leading Service Canada to double the number of employees processing passports last year.

    Gould told reporters today that she can guarantee that people who apply for passports will now get them on time, and she urged people whose passports expire in 2023 to get them renewed immediately.

    The minister says there are plans in place in case another backlog occurs, but she did not offer details about what those plans are.

    Prev Next

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Trudeau heads south as Americas confront realities

    Trudeau heads south as Americas confront realities
    As a cornerstone of Canada's economic growth, federal immigration policy strikes a delicate balance between economic, humanitarian and labour-policy priorities, all the while preserving public buy-in to keep the ever-present political dangers at bay, Selee said.    

    Trudeau heads south as Americas confront realities

    Evacuations in northwest B.C., as rivers rise

    Evacuations in northwest B.C., as rivers rise
    Flood watches were posted Sunday for the Dean River in the Fraser Plateau east of Bella Coola and for the Liard River and its tributaries around the northeastern B.C. community of Fort Nelson and along Highway 97 toward Watson Lake.

    Evacuations in northwest B.C., as rivers rise

    B.C. wildfire season slow to kindle, says expert

    B.C. wildfire season slow to kindle, says expert
    Wildfires last year destroyed most the village of Lytton and forced almost 200 evacuation orders during a near-record season where 1,610 wildfires charred 8,682 square kilometres of land, primarily in southern and southeastern B.C.

    B.C. wildfire season slow to kindle, says expert

    A 13 year old male and a 17 year old male in custody for assaulting a man: North Van RCMP

    A 13 year old male and a 17 year old male in custody for assaulting a man: North Van RCMP
    An officer immediately rendered emergency first aid, applied a police tourniquet, and called for paramedics. The injured man was taken to hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.

    A 13 year old male and a 17 year old male in custody for assaulting a man: North Van RCMP

    'Anxiety' over 3-year decriminalization in B.C.

    'Anxiety' over 3-year decriminalization in B.C.
    Decriminalization is slated to go into effect in B.C. at the end of January 2023, when those 18 and over will not face criminal penalties for possessing a total of 2.5 grams of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA, also known as ecstasy. Police would no longer confiscate drugs.

    'Anxiety' over 3-year decriminalization in B.C.

    Flood risk grows in many parts of B.C.

    Flood risk grows in many parts of B.C.
    A flood watch has been issued by the River Forecast Centre for the Bulkley River in northwestern B.C., and evacuation alerts are in effect for low lying properties on either side of the river at Smithers.

    Flood risk grows in many parts of B.C.

    PrevNext