SHERBROOKE, QC, Sept. 7, 2022 /CNW/ - Employment and Social Development Canada
Service Canada continues to introduce a variety of new measures to improve passport service delivery and decrease wait times for Canadians as it works through unprecedented demands. The triage system introduced this summer in 17 of our 35 passport offices has made a significant impact in reducing lineups and redirecting Canadians to the appropriate means to access service. The average wait time at call centres has also improved, going from a peak of 108 minutes in April to 28 minutes last week.
Today, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould, announced the designation of the Sherbrooke Service Canada Centre as an additional passport pick-up location. She made the announcement following a visit to the Service Canada Centre from Élisabeth Brière, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health. Effective immediately, Canadians can now apply for and pick up their passport at the Service Canada Centre in Sherbrooke. In addition, three other Service Canada Centres across the country have been designated as passport pick-up locations, including:
- Sudbury, Ontario (Sudbury Service Canada Centre)
- Kingston, Ontario (Kingston Service Canada Centre)
- Lethbridge, Alberta (Lethbridge Service Canada Centre)
In addition to the existing passport offices offering pick-up service, Canadians with proof of travel can now both apply and request in-person pick-up of their passport at a total of eight Service Canada Centres. Unlike the regular Service Canada Centres, these eight locations offer 10-day service, which means that Canadians can apply for a passport in one of those locations and the passport will be available in 10 business days, either by mail or in person pick-up. If Canadians need their passport in less than 10 business days, they will need to visit a passport office that offers Express or Urgent pick-up service.
The expansion of pick-up sites will allow many Canadians who need to pick up passports to do so closer to their homes. Service Canada is fully committed to providing passport services within 50km of the home of Canadians. Also, more scheduled outreach sites that will provide certain passport services will be added in the coming weeks across the country.
Quote
"The addition of 10 day passport pick up service in the Service Canada Centre in Sherbrooke is particularly important to our cross-border communities in the Eastern Townships."
- The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Member of Parliament for Compton—Stanstead and Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
"I am thrilled that the expansion of passport services can benefit Canadians from Brome-Missisquoi and help them avoid long trips to major cities. This is a positive, permanent change. Since the early summer, our government and Service Canada have worked tirelessly to respond to the post-pandemic needs of our citizens. This increase in federal services in the Eastern Townships is proof that our government is listening to the retions of Quebec."
- The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Member of Parliament for Brome-Missisquoi and Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Québec
"After Pointe-Claire in West Montreal, and Trois-Rivières in Mauricie, I am delighted that citizens in Eastern Townships can now receive passport service within 10 days of submitting their application. This announcement is the third of its kind in Quebec in less than two months. It is part of my commitment to increase the offer of federal services to the citizens of Sherbrooke. This good news today illustrates all the progress made over the summer by Service Canada. I would also like to thank the front-line workers of Service Canada in Sherbrooke who, since the resumption of international travel, have worked many overtime hours to serve our fellow citizens."
- The Honourable Élisabeth Brière, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health
Quick Facts
- Since April 1, 2022, Service Canada has issued 912,236 passports.
- For the week of August 22 to 28, 2022, Service Canada has issued 54,667 passports.
- Started in the week of June 20, triage measures were implemented in 17 passport offices across the country.
- On July 25, Service Canada expanded the passport pick-up service to 5 additional passport offices: Brampton, Whitby, Pointe-Claire, Calgary Sundance and Richmond.
- On July 29, Service Canada announced that Canadians who provided a duly completed application by mail more than 20 business days ago, and are travelling within the next 20 business days, can visit any of over 300 Service Canada Centers to make a transfer request to ensure their application is processed in time for their travel.
- On August 17, Service Canada announced that Canadians with proof of travel can apply for and pick up their passport at Service Canada Centres in Trois-Rivières, Sault Ste. Marie, Charlottetown and Red Deer.
Associated Links
Canadian passports and travel documents
Welcome to the eServiceCanada Appointment Booking Tool
Canadian passport program on Twitter
SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
Mohammad Hussain, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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