After long wait times, a B.C. woman found it faster to fly to Edmonton to renew her passport
A B.C. girl discovered a singular method to get her passport and keep away from lengthy lineups at Service Canada places of work within the province.
She hopped a flight to Edmonton.
Whitney, who didn’t need her final identify used because of privateness considerations, advised International Information she had been making an attempt to get an appointment in B.C. for weeks to resume her passport.
However there have been no appointments in Vancouver, Surrey or Victoria.
Learn extra:
B.C. household says passport renewal delays ended up costing them $3,000
“I went on to Aptitude to discover a low cost flight, and I used to be in a position to patch a flight collectively,” she mentioned.
“So I left from Abbotsford after which after I got here again from Edmonton, I flew into YVR.”
She documented her journey on TikTok and her video has acquired hundreds of views.
Whitney mentioned the Edmonton passport workplace was busy nevertheless it solely took about two-and-a-half hours to get her passport.
She spent about $400 to take action, which included her flights.
“I don’t actually assume it was excessive as a result of I didn’t camp out at 6 p.m., 7 p.m. the night time earlier than,” she mentioned.
“However I needed to do what I needed to do.”
A whole bunch of individuals have spent days and nights lining up outdoors Service Canada passport places of work lately, determined to get a passport in time for travelling.
In late Might, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned his authorities is taking motion to clear the backlog of passport functions that’s occurring throughout Canada.
“As of about December or January, we began the hiring course of for brand spanking new passport officers,” Trudeau mentioned.
“We employed on 500 new passport workplace employees as a result of we knew that with the economic system beginning to open up, with COVID beginning to be within the rearview mirror, or at the very least getting right into a manageable part, extra individuals would wish to journey.”
Learn extra:
Surrey RCMP officers referred to as when tensions rise outdoors Service Canada passport workplace
Wait occasions at passport places of work are additionally posted on-line however there is no such thing as a method of realizing when companies will return to pre-pandemic ranges.
